Radiant Affection
by Zanmat0
Summary: A story with shameless excuses for them to cuddle. NOTE : Takes place about a few years after P4G.
1. Infused Memories

**Keeping the train rolling with more Souji/Naoto. While I do have a few ideas of my own, they'll take time and I want to make sure they're worthy of putting out there. For now, I'll follow a prompt by a favorite author of mine, defog2000 (thanks for the reviews, everyone). This probably took place in the days leading up to the end that were ****_skipped _****(grumbles).**

**This took a little research, meaning a strenuous and mind-straining trip through Wikipedia (sarcasm, you see), but I present to you what could have happened on White Day.**

**I'm so sorry about the rambling.**

* * *

✨ The Week Before White Day

_Not much time left. Before I have to leave…my friends, family, and...her._

_…__White Day! Perfect. She's given me so much already... she deserves this. Okay. Now, I just need to..._

Souji was unwittingly pacing around the kitchen, having already finished making a much appreciated dinner for Dojima and Nanako, who both showered easily deflected praise upon the silver-haired teen. His behavior now however caught the eye of his uncle who reached out to grab his lower arm, before giving Souji a concerned look. Needless to say, it was a good idea. Souji was jolted out of his little reverie and looked at his relative with a confused stare.

"Souji…? You've been pacing like that for the past ten minutes."

"…really?"

"…Dinner was fine, you know."

"It's not that. It's just…my time here's almost up, and I need to… figure some things out.

Dojima look bemused, before his eyes lit up and he chuckled. "White Day."

Souji regarded him with a respectful expression, knowing his detective's intuition had surged once again. He nodded in acknowledgment.

"I can think of a few things, but you know Shirogane more than anyone. She trusts you, kid. I know you'll find the perfect gift for her."

He gave his nephew a gentle push towards the stairs, stating he needed to sleep on the idea, before winking mischievously. As Souji lay on the futon, he glanced towards the watch he rarely took off. A revelation hit him, and he let himself drift off to sleep, content with his newfound ideas.

✨ Sunday

Souji sat across from Naoto in the Café Chagall, located in Okina. Upon Souji's almost panicked insistence to not try the specialty coffee, as he wanted to stay conscious for the date, they both sipped at their cups of tea (which still had some punch to them, much to their surprise). While Naoto was glad to spend time with Souji before the day of his departure inevitably came, she noted that he seemed nervous about something. She waited however, because she knew he would speak when he deemed it the right time, and that he trusted her with everything he needed to. As expected, it didn't take long for Souji to make up his mind.

"Naoto, the watches you made…are they built the same way?"

"Eh?" She looked confused for a second before composing herself, nodding. "Yes, I made them with simplicity in mind, but the only notable difference is in color." Souji noted the small swell of pride in her tone as she explained with a soft smile.

"Senpai?"

"Mm?"

"Umm…i-is there something wrong with yours? I-I mean I checked both of them to make sure the tracker worked, but…I checked yours at least ten times…ah!"

Naoto didn't realize she was looking down into her cup until Souji lifted her chin up gently, cutting off her worried little tirade instantly, complete with complementary blush. He studied the pensive look in her eyes, beholding the fear she held that the gift _she _made may be defective. The silverette took a moment to note just how adorable she looked when she wanted his answer to something regarding her. His hand shifted from her chin to her cheek, which he stroked softly with his thumb. He felt his heart melting as he felt her press herself, just a bit, into his palm. Souji's loving smile grew a small fraction before he shook his head.

"The watches are perfect, Naoto. I couldn't have asked for a better gift…or a more perfect girl to receive it from." He fought back his own blush as the one on Naoto's face deepened, but her eyes sparkled with joy and a relieved smile made its presence known.

"Thank you, but I just needed to gather some…information." As she tried to ask for more on the matter, he pressed his index finger to her lips before leaning over the table to plant a quick kiss in the same place. He winked, which in turn almost made Naoto swoon, but she held her ground and relented on the matter. Whatever it was, it could wait until he told her himself.

✨ Monday

Souji was in the middle of taking a breather, while he looked around the secret lab that he once traversed to save his future girlfriend. Of course, he wasn't aware about the girl part until her Shadow, but he couldn't be happier with how their relationship turned out. He knew he shouldn't have gone in alone, but Helel and some of ㇱ2Naoto's Candy was all he needed for his task today. He had a duffel bag strapped around his back, which held various bits and pieces of enchanted machinery. He thought about how he would make Naoto smile next as he planned out his gift for White Day.

✨ Tuesday

After school he managed to give Naoto the slip with some coaxing, a kiss or two, and the promise that his reason for leaving so suddenly would reveal itself. An uncertain look that changed into a firmly trusting one let Souji know he had her blessing to be on his way. Before he got out the door, however, he felt two soft, slender arms wrap themselves around his waist, along with a face being buried in his back. The hug ended as quickly as it began, and he turned to see Naoto walking away, one hand in her pocket, and the other pulling her cap down, a heavy blush on her face. Souji could feel his own cheeks heating up, as he headed to the shopping district, intent on getting some help from Old Man Daidara's expertise.

✨ *Insert clever way to say Souji was busy for the next few days*

✨ **March 14…White Day**

Souji could feel his heart pounding as he checked the gift he held carefully in the small navy blue box for probably the tenth time that day. His mind worked frantically as he wondered how the day would turn out. Finally, he swallowed his fear…and texted Naoto.

Naoto checked her phone, oblivious to what the day was, and her eyes lit up when she saw an invitation from her boyfriend. She absentmindedly swayed to and fro gently as she replied as quickly as she could. As she sent the message, she suddenly felt that school couldn't end fast enough. Unfortunately, Rise noticed her apprehension in class. After managing to lose her in the Practice Building, along with politely asking Kanji to stop her until she left, Naoto was on her way to the shoe lockers, silently relieved that she was able to lose Rise so easily. As she looked up, her eyes beheld Souji giving her a quick wave and a grin. Resisting the urge to run to him, she responded with a curt nod, remembering that she was mildly upset that he wouldn't tell her just what is was he was so busy with.

"Shall we go?"

Another nod.

"…Are you mad at me?"

She shook her head.

"Naoto. You always go quiet when something is bothering you. And judging by that…look you're giving me…"

Naoto looked up as he trailed off, and was shocked to see Souji bowing with his hands at his sides. "I'm sorry. I haven't been fair to you. I know you wanted to spend more time with me but…" He looked up at her. "…I hope what happens today will make you forgive me."

She held his stare for a second, prying for any sign of insincerity, and was pleased that she couldn't find anything of the sort…not that she expected to. All she could see was warm affection, to which she felt her cheeks heat up in response. Souji, in turn, was trying to find a shred of mercy in her gaze, and was glad to see that she wasn't upset anymore. There was, instead, a smoldering curiosity at the mention of today.

_Why today…what happens today? _

A few hours later found Souji and Naoto standing at the hill overlooking Inaba, hand-in-hand. Souji felt his pulse quicken as he worked up the nerve to finally hand her the gift. A million outcomes and approaches flashed through his mind as his brain lurched at the pressure. Naoto noticed his newfound distress and squeezed his hand gently. Souji was jolted by the contact and his eyes flashed with the Courage and Expression he built throughout the difficult year. He halfway thought about whipping out his glasses with dramatic flair, but he wasn't one for theatrics and decided not to with a smile. Souji turned to his girlfriend, taking both her hands and lacing their fingers together. Naoto looked up to him with a curious gaze, ignoring the soft pink tinting her cheeks. Souji nodded before he lay down his instructions.

"Close your eyes."

"Souji-kun?"

"As much as I want to see those eyes…hmm…just humor me, ok? Please?"

He gave her his version of puppy eyes, earning a deep blush and a slow nod. Naoto closed her eyes. Souji took a second to observe how curious she looked, as she shifted from one foot to the other, while trying to hide her smile. Steeling his nerves once again, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a soft kiss as his hands slowly started to move closer to her. Naoto froze as her mind tried to catch up with the events, but her body responded accordingly. Her hands snaked up to wrap around Souji's neck. They broke apart after a few more seconds, cheeks red and panting lightly. Souji leaned in a bit to whisper, "Do you know what today is?" Naoto looked a bit bemused, before shaking her head lightly. Souji chuckled softly, and stopped her from questioning him with another kiss. This time, it was a bit slower, and Souji tilted his head as he tasted her, earning a soft moan from Naoto. This time, the kiss didn't last as long, but Naoto felt as if it was so much more…mind-blowing. Souji smiled at the dazed look on her face before glancing down. The sleuth followed his look and beheld a sparkling ring dangling around her neck. She gasped softly at how the ring shone with mysterious enchantments found in the TV world and there were tiny inlaid wires that glowed faintly. There was also a small clip on the side of the thin chain, with what looked like an electronic chip poking out of it. She looked up in silent question to meet Souji's nervous eyes, awaiting her opinion on his work. Souji noted the observation and explained, though the apprehension in his eyes never left.

"The chip works with your phone. But, you have to promise me you'll look at its contents after I leave. Think of it as…an advance apology."

He smiled sadly at her…until she realized he was still waiting for her opinion. She couldn't find the words to express her gratitude, and when she did, her mouth refused to cooperate. She mentally kicked herself…then the solution struck her. A self-satisfied smile crossed her face, as she looked up at Souji, earning a questioning look. She readied herself before tackling Souji bodily, forcing him onto his back with her arms firmly wrapped around his neck, nuzzling against his chin and neck lovingly. Souji caught her cap as it fell, setting it on the nearby bench before returning the hug with as much as affection as he received. He smiled as he understood what she was trying to express, but was treated to a second surprise and she leaned down to kiss him softly, before whispering in his ear…

"It's beautiful…"

Souji's heart leaped at the sound of her voice and held her tighter. Naoto's smile grew and she leaned down to lock lips with him again.

✨ March 21…the day of his departure.

It wasn't even a day and she missed him already. She had long since dried her tears, but could feel more threatening to spring forth as she thought of the next time she would see him. It was alright, though. Souji was only a train ride away, and no distance nor obstacle could keep them apart when they wanted to see each other. Her hands rose up to her neck as she gently fondled the ring that hung around it, admiring the glowing wire that lay underneath and how it shined in the light of her desk lamp. Naoto suddenly remembered the small chip that was dangling on the chain of the necklace. He said to look at it after he left…so it was ok…right? She took the chip and inserted it into her phone, trembling a bit with her curiosity. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice, and she watched the video that began playing back. It was a montage of photos and clips Souji had collected while he spent his valuable time together with her as much as he could. She felt watery trails fall down her cheeks, but she didn't stop them this time as she wondered how hard it must have been to make such a gift for White Day. Naoto smiled then, and knew it wouldn't be long before she found her way to him again. Into his embrace.

_Hehehe…it'll be a pleasant surprise…_

✨ A Certain Vacation

Souji was playing along with the idea that the failed surprise greeting was indeed effective as he observed just how much his valuable friends had changed. He was pleasantly surprised that they were embracing life and stating that Inaba felt like home again since he was finally back. His silvery gaze finally fell upon the petite figure in the back of the group that was slowly moving closer to him.

_Naoto…_

When the detective came to a halt in front of him, they both bore wide smiles as they beheld each other. A stray ray of light caught what Naoto was wearing around her neck, and the ring seemed to glow even brighter the closer they stood. They couldn't take it anymore, and were quickly locked in a tight hug, before Souji leaned back to lift Naoto's chin and softly kiss her. After they heard Yosuke and Teddie whistling and the rest of the group cheering and clapping, they broke the kiss and contented themselves with gently pressing their foreheads together. There would be a time for more of that later.

The ring shone brightly.

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**Hey guys. This is my second fic as you know, but I feel proud of this one. So here's my reasoning behind the gift: Naoto was wearing a ring necklace in the new epilogue, and since said epilogue did NOT acknowledge your relationships, I just made my version. Reviews are always welcome, it's great to see your opinions…be honest, did you think Souji was going to propose?**

**Thanks again to defog2000 for the idea, but I already had this noted down as a possible scenario. **

**See ya.**


	2. Reunited Nostalgia

**Hey guys. Today's fic/chapter is a relatively simple concept, but I hope it's good enough for you to enjoy. Leave a review if you like.**

After a generous lunch provided by Dojima, and a botched, "Welcome home, Senpai," the better part of the bright sunny day was spent catching up with everyone. However, the group started to feel their legs getting numb from the prolonged period of sitting on the mat, so they all dispersed to different parts of the house to get more comfortable. Dojima and Nanako headed for the park, much to Souji's delight and approval that they were even closer since he left. The different members of the Investigation Team itself all found comfortable places to sit as they took turns asking Souji various questions. Souji sat on the couch, with his arms wrapped gently around Naoto, who was sitting comfortably between his legs. The joy from meeting again had somewhat worn off, but the affection they displayed for each other showed just how glad they were to be together again. His chin rested softly on her shoulder, so it only took the slightest effort for one to kiss the other. Of course, they tried to restrain themselves in front of their friends, but the two were overcome by finally being able to embrace after so long.

"So Senpai, how hard was it _not _to run back here? Judgin' by how the two of you won't…let go of each other, y'know?"

Normally, one would have been embarrassed when called out regarding being snuggly with his girlfriend, but we have here the rare specimen known as Souji Seta. He was silver-haired transfer student who led the 'official' investigation of last year's murder case, identified the killer, and beat down three Sagiris (if you count Marie), and Izanami herself. Not to mention helping his friends overcome problems and/or personal demons, as well as many seemingly random citizens around the town, out of the goodness and his heart (and the added bonus of strengthening his Persona). To say he wasn't embarrassed would be a dramatic understatement.

His response, instead, was to tighten his grip on Naoto's waist, kissing her cheek, and giving the speaker, Kanji, a smile that would charm the birds out of their nests. Words weren't needed, and he could barely restrain his laughter as he observed the expressions at his less-than-ordinary answer to his question. It seems his Heroic Courage hadn't diminished in the slightest while he was gone.

"Who says I didn't come more often…in _secret_? The big city gets lonely when your parents aren't home often.."

Naoto turned her head to see Souji's smile had fell slightly, and her grip on his forearms strengthened a bit to let him know she was there. He turned a grateful gaze to her before giving her nose a quick peck and apologizing.

"Hey man, we told ya already…since you got back, it feels like Inaba is home again. It was only a year, but so much happened, but things turned out nicely, if you two are any indication."

Yosuke had a grin on his face as he finished, noting that even Souji blushed this time. "Now that we have your lonely self, back here," Souji looked up to see Yosuke's grin had a slightly menacing twist to it…and there hadn't come a time where that was a good sign.

"Let's go to the beach!"

Now Kanji's head darted up to stare at Yosuke, who nodded sagely, before turning to glare daggers at Teddie, who had taken a sudden interest in the books that were stacked on the kitchen counter. Naoto turned to give Souji a quizzical look before he shook his head and mouthed, "I'll tell you later," before trying to stifle a chuckle. Naoto sighed and leaned into him, and observed the looks on the other team members. Chie and Yukiko seemed all for it, Rise was staring at Kanji, who in turn was still glaring at Teddie, as the poor bear-man was starting to tremble at just how scary Kanji looked. Souji decided to step in…

"Kanji, calm down," he met Kanji's glare before turning to Yosuke. "You remember what happened…right?"

"Well, y-yeah, but that was Teddie's fault! And it was fun, wasn't it…?

"Hmm. At first, of course. But then our bear decided it was time for some shenanigans."

"…We can tie him to the signpost if he's naughty?"

Kanji turned a grateful look to Yukiko, who put forth the idea. Yosuke seemed to consider the idea before Souji stopped him.

"Yosuke, we're not tying anyone to a pole. Isn't there anything else we can do? I would suggest a night at the Amagi Inn, but…"

He turned his stoic stare to Yukiko before saying, "It seems the girls mistook the schedule, then pelted us with…buckets." Stifling another chuckle as he felt Naoto shift uneasily in his arms before giving her an affectionate squeeze to calm her down, he tried to put forth another idea.

"Fishing?"

"Oh yeah, that-wait, fishing?"

Souji nodded. "Did you hear about the guy who caught the Samegawa Guardian, as well as the one from Shichiri?

All eyes in the room turned to him as he grinned. "I wonder who that lucky fellow might have been…"

Yosuke shook his head in admiration. "How did you even manage that with all the part-time jobs you had…"

Souji decided to get the subject back on track, saying, "How about we take some time to work out a plan? Maybe we can manage all of these things. I'll pay for everything we need."

The group agreed in unison. As the discussion of possible activities went on, Souji took the opportunity to nuzzle affectionately against Naoto's shoulder. He sighed as he spoke in a low tone, "...I missed you."

"Likewise, Senpai. All the calls...hearing your voice just wasn't enough."

"I know. For too long, I just wanted to see you again."

"You could have asked for a picture."

"..."

The joke was lost on Souji as he nuzzled against her again and sighed contentedly. Not being able to feel Naoto's warmth for how long he was gone had eaten away at him, and he wished he wouldn't have to let go of her yet. Naoto herself reciprocated the feel and closed her eyes as she smiled and tightened her grip on his arm.

✨ It was getting late, so everyone said they're goodbyes and headed home. Souji, being the chivalrous and cuddle-happy hero that he is, offered to walk Naoto home, like he often did that fateful year. And just like before, Naoto tried to insist that she would be fine, but the desire to have Souji to herself-just for a little while-trumped whatever arguments she made against herself. So, today she happily accepted, and the growing smile on Souji's face reinforced her resolve that this was a good decision. The pair made small talk along the way, hand in hand, catching up on old times and sharing stories for while they were separated. The walk to Naoto's apartment felt relatively short, and any passer-by could tell the two teens were disappointed that they arrived so quickly. They bid each other goodnight, but as Souji's hand left Naoto's grip, she felt that pang of loneliness she often experienced when she took a walk around the shopping district at night, remembering how they often chatted at the closed bookstore when Souji could spare the evening for her. Naoto's judgment was clouded as she was torn between letting him go or being just a bit more selfish…

Souji hadn't taken ten paces before he felt a pair of slender arms wrap around his waist and Naoto's face pressing into his back. Memories flashed through his mind, reminding him of the same gesture he received in the days leading up to White Day…

"Senpai…d-don't leave me alone…not anymore…"

"Naoto…?"

"Please…just for tonight. I don't want to be alone…"

"But what about-"

"Senpai…"

Souji felt his heart be torn asunder by Naoto's tone, her words echoing her Shadow. He gently pried Naoto's hands from his waist with some difficulty, as she tried to tighten her grip, before turning to embrace her tightly. He could feel tears staining his shirt, and he felt the corners of his eyes sting as his own tears started to come forth. One hand gripped her waist tightly, and the other stroked her hair gently, as he had done in the past, knowing it helped calm her nerves.

"Shh...it's ok. I'm not going anywhere. Not this time."

"….Senpai!"

Naoto felt fresh tears as she desperately hugged Souji, and the silverette returned the loving embrace, stroking her hair and holding back his tears. He felt a deep pang of regret that he was forced to leave her alone, but he was here to stay. This time for good.


	3. Neglected Reminiscence

The next day, Souji's eyes opened slowly and, remembering where he was and what happened the night before, glanced down to check on Naoto. The smaller girl was still asleep (thankfully), her head on his chest with one arm around his waist, as Souji himself held her in a gentle grip with one hand as well. He slowly tried to get off the bed they were sharing, but the unconscious Naoto wouldn't let him go that easily. As he freed his arm from her, she weakly whined in disappointment, but her discomfort was replaced by a content purr as he pulled the blanket up to her chin and brushed her hair back. With a soft smile on his face, he decided to check the kitchen of her apartment for materials he could make into something edible. As he toured her small apartment, he observed the various spaces that were designated for a respective part of her life. There was a small library filled with old detective novels that were lovingly cared for, a work desk in the same room as the bedroom, and the living room was simple; a sofa was pushed against the wall, and two mats lay at the tea-table in front of said sofa. To put a finishing touch, there was a small TV, presumably used to watch the Midnight Channel during the investigation. Souji tried to focus on finding something to make, but frowned at the lack of supplies for breakfast. It seemed a visit to Junes was necessary.

"Senpai…?"

Souji flinched as he was about to head for the door, and turned to see the drowsy Naoto peeking out from the bedroom door. Taking a moment to take in her disheveled hair, half-closed eyes, and tired slouch, he thought to himself how she managed to look cute even when she was barely awake. He also noticed the softly glowing ring that hung around her neck even while she was asleep, and a small smile found its way onto his face. By now, he had made his way to Naoto to quickly pick her up and carry her back to the bed, as she looked like she was woken up by his gallivanting through her kitchen. As a result, it wasn't hard to get her to fall back asleep, and he slowly made his way to the door.

✨ After a sprint to Junes, Souji was back in her apartment making a quick breakfast as he anticipated Naoto's alarm would ring soon.

Before long, he heard a shrill sound emanating from Naoto's room, along with an annoyed groan. Souji shut off the stove and shoveled the two omelets he was making onto two small plates, then made his way to Naoto, who had finally shut off the alarm. As he arrived at the doorway, he caught a glimpse of Naoto stretching and rubbing her eyes sleepily. Coughing lightly to catch her attention, he hid an amused grin as her tired gaze shot to him and a blush spread across her face. They continued to stare at each other, a drowsy gaze meeting a faintly amused one.

Finally, Souji smiled. "Breakfast is ready." His voice seemed to snap her out of her thoughts, as she started to have a dreamy look in her eyes as she held the stare, and her blush returned with a passion. She nodded quickly before shooing a now-smiling Souji out of her room so she could freshen up a bit, then closed the door softly.

It only took a few minutes for Naoto to arrive at the living room, looking much more like her normal self, though her cheeks still had a pink tint to them. Souji motioned for her to sit, before taking a seat himself. After thanking him for the meal, they both dug in, making small talk as Naoto praised his cooking: His skill hadn't diminished.

"Senpai…thank you. F-for staying. I must be so selfish, I'm sure you wanted to spend time with Dojima-san and Nanako-chan…"

"Nonsense. There's nothing selfish about wanting to spend time with a boyfriend who can't even stay long enough to reminisce…"

Naoto looked up from her plate as she noticed the bitter tone in Souji's voice.

"Senpai?"

"I'm sorry. For not being here. If how lonely you looked when I was leaving last night is any indication, I must have hurt you by not staying…"

As he imagined how lonely it must have been to love someone and not be able to see them because life got in the way. Of course, he tried his best to visit as often as he could, but…

His eyes widened as he suddenly felt Naoto standing in front of him, with her arms around his shoulders, pulling his head into her chest in what she hoped was a comforting hug. She thought about what more she could do, and remembered how Souji would brush her hair when she was upset. Mimicking the kind gesture, she kissed the top of his head, relieved to feel Souji relax in her arms. Trying to focus on the happier times they shared together, his arms rose around her waist to pull her a little bit closer, enjoying how soft and warm she felt. Naoto smiled at the simple affection they felt, before asking, "Senpai?"

"…Yes?"

"Did you mean it…? When you said you were here to stay?"

Souji blushed –a rare sight- before responding with a murmur of agreement. She lifted his face from her chest gently, and was delighted to see a look of loving devotion in his grey eyes. Her own irises sparkled as she leaned down to kiss him, trying to translate her unspoken feelings into the passionate gesture, her fervor increased ever more as Souji responded in like. They stayed like this for a few long seconds, until they broke apart to breathe. With cheeks red and affectionate smiles, theirs eyes met.

Silently making a promise to each other, Souji stood up and pulled Naoto into another hug.

Then his cell phone rang out loudly.

Souji leaned back to give Naoto an apologetic glance, and they both held looks of disappointment that the moment had ended. Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he sat back down on the chair, gently pulling Naoto down with him so she could sit on his lap. Yosuke was calling.

"…_Souji?"_

"Hey."

"_You know how we were making plans for a little celebration since you got back?"_

"Yeah, of course. Any ideas?"

"_You bet. Think you can get to our 'special headquarters' in about half an hour?"_

He looked at Naoto, who nodded. "Yeah, see you there."

As the call ended, Souji sighed. He wanted to spend more time alone with Naoto, but there was plenty of time for that later. Hearing the sigh, Naoto leaned on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Closing his eyes, he relaxed in her arms and they remained there for a few seconds. Deciding it was better if he gave Naoto time to get ready, he lifted her off him and carried her to the bedroom bridal-style, silencing her soft protests with affectionate pecks. Setting her down gently on her bed, she tried to protest again but Souji caught her in a passionate kiss that was quickly giving her a good reason to just keep him to herself for the day. It took a lot of willpower to resist, but she eventually found the strength to gently nudge him off her. As both of them tried to breathe, Naoto started to slowly push him out of the room while trying not to laugh at the pout on his face. As she shut the door behind him, the kiss on the cheek he received promised they would have time to be alone after hearing Yosuke's grandiose plans. She felt her cheeks flare up with a deeper-than-ever blush as she finally closed the door, leaning on it as she did. Souji's courageous attitude was affecting hers…a year ago and she would never be so bold as to do things like she did just now. Smiling to herself, she got ready for the day.

✨ Five minutes later, and Naoto was walking side-by-side with Souji on the way to Junes.

As the first ones there, due to how their lifestyles allow them to quickly be ready for the day, they took seats next to each other and took some time to chat about school and plans for the future. Ten minutes later, and they had finished their second cup of tea, and the rest of the team slowly started to show up.

"So, what's this great plan of yours, Yosuke?"

"It's simple! We take all the ideas we mentioned the other day and roll them into one big trip. Few hours at the beach, fishing competition, then a night at the Amagi Inn."

"Not bad….wait, you didn't buy for the girls, did you?"

"Well…"

"Yosuke…"

"What? There's nothing wrong with it, and I even bought Kanji a new one."

"Oh thanks, Senpai!"

Souji sighed and he glanced at Naoto's nervous expression as she thought about Yosuke's answer. He felt sympathetic as that she would be too embarrassed to set foot outside in a swimsuit. He reached over to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly, and racked his brain trying to think of a way to save her from the embarrassment. She quickly shot him a grateful smile, before slipping back into a thoughtful silence.

"Why don't we hold off the trip until winter? We can hit the slopes again instead.

"But don't you have to go back to the city anyway?

"Well…" Souji grinned at the recognition dawning on the faces of the individual team members' faces. Then he nodded cheerfully. The next few minutes were taken up by Souji getting cheery punches on the shoulder, hugs, and other such friendly gestures, with Naoto standing off to side so as not to get trampled. Souji, however, did catch the look of annoyance she gave Rise as the idol took a bit more time to hold onto Souji. But then Yosuke had a revelation…

"We can do both now!"

Both Souji and Naoto's eyes shot up to stare at Yosuke, who was wearing a triumphant grin.

"Yosuke, some of us aren't as open to the idea of the beach as you are."

"Like who?"

Glancing at Naoto, Souji frowned. Looking back at Yosuke, he started to speak before…

"I think it's a good idea."

"Eh?"

Souji looked at Naoto in shock as she voiced her consent for the trip, before she returned his gaze and nodded. His jaw still was slack as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Then it's settled."

Souji looked at Naoto again, noticing the light pink on her cheeks as he continued to stare at her.

"I'll plan a date when our work schedules won't get in the way. For now, let's go home and rest up."

✨ The group dispersed once again, and a short walk saw Souji and Naoto at her apartment once again. They said goodbye, and…

"Senpai…?"

"…Do you want me to stay?"

"No…you should go and be with Dojima-san and Nanako-chan. It's for the best, they haven't been able to catch up with you."

"But is that what you want?"

Naoto stiffened, before reaching up to her neck and clutching the ring that hung around it. The gesture, to Souji's surprise, seemed to visibly calm her down, as she looked up and nodded affirmatively.

"Yes. And...about the beach? I'll talk to you about it later..."

"…Alright then. Goodnight, Naoto."

A quick embrace and Souji was on his way, waving over his shoulder. Naoto watched him go until he was out of sight and entered her apartment.

Suddenly her phone rang.

'_Sweet dreams, Naoto._

_-Souji' _

The light of the necklace ring grew stronger along with her smile.


	4. Planned Memoirs

Souji's phone rang as he finished washing the dishes from breakfast. The better part of last night was taken up by chats with Dojima and games with Nanako, before the elder detective decided it would be beneficial for the family to get some rest. Turns out, it was a solid plan. But that didn't mean that his morning would be free either. Not that he would complain at the chance to catch up with the denizens of his home away from home. He had taken a seat at the kitchen table at Dojima's insistence to let him uphold his tradition of brewing the coffee.

"Still take it black?"

"Of course. I haven't changed much since I left. Everyone else on the other hand…"

"You make it sound like I'm getting old."

"Was I not obvious enough?"

Dojima turned to look at Souji, who held the stare with a stoic face. It didn't last long, as the two burst into laughter after a second or two. "Yeah…you haven't changed much. Still a brat."

Handing the teen his cup, the elder detective took a seat across from him. "So what's Nanako up to?"

"Hmm? Oh, she wanted to stay at her friends' house for the rest of the week. I'm…going to be working late again today and tomorrow, so it'll be up to you to watch the house. Sorry."

"No need to apologize. Work is work. I may as well earn my stay here."

"Souji…what you did to patch up the family when you first came here is more than enough to welcome you here with open arms. You live here, so you can do what you like."

"You don't think I'll trash the place…?"

Dojima gave Souji a look as if he was crazy. "Course not, kiddo. You've proven you're responsible enough to not do anything stupid. Feel free to invite your friends…" The look turned mischievous as he grinned. "Or you can invite your girlfriend over. Just don't make too much noise. I don't want the neighbors complaining to me the next morning." Dojima's grin grew wider as Souji blushed and looked down into his cup. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. I gotta go. Take care of yourself, ok kid?"

"Yeah…alright. Stay safe out there."

"…Yeah. See you later, Souji."

As his uncle shut the door behind him, Souji drained the last of his coffee as he made his way to the fridge. _Couldn't hurt to make a meal for the two of them when they get back… _He was mildly surprised that there wasn't some type of abomination that he felt the urge to eat as he opened the door, but was bemused at the almost empty contents of the various drawers and shelves. _Looks like Junes is going to be my savior again… _Grabbing the spare keys, he locked all the doors and hopped on his scooter to speed up the trip.

✨ During Souji's period of gallivanting through the Junes grocery department and he was ready to head home. Unfortunately for the stomachs of his uncle and Nanako, his friends wouldn't let him go that easily.

"Yo! Souji!"

"...Oh. Hey, Yosuke."

"Still adjusting to being back in Inaba?"

"After all the times you saw me sprinting around the town, I'd be hard-pressed to forget the exact layout of everything."

"Right, right. Anyway, I think I got a window for when we can manage the big trip. How's the coming weekend sound?"

"I'm free on the weekends."

"Just the weekends?"

"Well...I've been taking up some of my old part times. There's some people around town who remember me with fresh favors to be fulfilled."

"You know you don't _have _to maintain the 'Legend of Inaba' routine..."

"But alas, aside from the perks of having a girlfriend, this town is still as idyllic as ever. Gotta make do."

"Yeah...but you don't see me getting cuddly with Chie after work."

"You must be sad that you can't without puppy eyes."

"Well...uh..."

"Bullseye."

"Shut up. Are you free for the rest of the day?"

"Well...I was gonna make dinner for Dojima and Nanako but...I have time for now."

"That's great! You wanna get the rest of us to grab a bite to eat?"

"I have a better idea. I have some extra groceries here...we can head to my place. I'll make some brunch for the group."

"...A-are you an angel of food? That's a great idea! Let me just check with the manager to let him know my shift is ending early today."

"...Is that okay to do?"

"Probably. Don't sweat the details!"

"Whatever you say, Junes."

✨ A good half hour later, and the renewed Investigation Team was conversing in the living room of the Dojima household. Souji was in the kitchen, adamantly refusing any help from Chie, Yukiko, and Rise for fear of them morphing his food into a new, over-spicy variant of Mystery Food X. Naoto had been upstairs for a while, after Souji had discreetly mentioned he had a special gift for her on his desk. As he was pondering what was taking her so long, he heard soft footsteps, and upon looking to the stairs he beheld Naoto clutching something to her chest as she made her way to a chair close to him at the table. As he set aside some of the dishes he had readied, he let the stove continue its work as he turned to Naoto. "Judging by the look on your face, I assume you found the gift...?"

He was answered with a quick nod and a smile. "When could you have acquired a signed copy of the latest book? The author doesn't do signings anymore..."

"True...but I didn't get that at a signing. I just so happen to be friends with said author. Since I moved back to the city, there were a few people who needed someone's help. I was there, so I helped."

"You're capabilities never cease to amaze, Senpai."

"I just give everything 110 percent, like always."

"The students at the school look after the example you set. Now the test scores are higher than ever."

"That's good to hear. I assume you're keeping up with your own studies?"

Rolling her eyes at the mock strict tone Souji took, she smiled wryly at him. "If the schoolwork gets any easier, I'll have to take on some kind of job outside detective work."

"That's my Naoto. Anyway, if you're done admiring the book, would you mind trying this?"

Naoto looked up to see that Souji was holding a fresh California Roll with a pair of chopsticks, with one hand floating underneath to catch it just in case, complete with soft smile on his face. Naoto raised an eyebrow quizzically as she tried to discern whether Souji was joking around, but as always, his eyes betrayed nothing. A light blush dusted her cheeks as she decided, leaning forward a bit to accept the sample. Souji's smile grew as she looked down with closed eyes and chewed reflectively. Looking up again, she smiled with sparkling eyes as she quickly nodded her approval of his cooking. Unbeknownst to them, their interactions caught the attention of a few of their friends, who decided not to interrupt them.

"Man...he really is a lucky bastard, huh?"

"Yeah...they seem so perfect together."

"So when do ya think we're gettin' our food?"

"Zip it, Moronji!"

By now, the couple featured in the conversation had turned to see the anarchy that was beginning to unfold in the living room. As Naoto began to voice her concern to Souji, she was silenced by a finger to her lips as Souji shook his head. Taking the finished dishes to the short table in the living room, he set them down quietly before making his way back to the kitchen. Naoto had her head cocked to the side in curiosity at his behavior until she saw him pick up some smaller plates for the two of them and some extra platters of food Souji made specially for the two of them. They smiled at each other, and after a quick "Itadakimasu", they were happily dining on their lunch, blissfully ignorant of the scene happening about 5 feet away.

"Naoto?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind coming over to spend the night after the trip? We should catch up without..." He waved his hand absently at the living room. "...this. I have another little surprise for you as well."

"But of course, Senpai. I would be glad to."

Souji smiled again, and offered more California Rolls to the detective sitting across from him.


	5. Before the Day

✨ The Calm Before the Storm…?

Naoto woke up in the labyrinth of her mind, this time in a dream version of the her apartment, where her physical body was slumbering in. Sighing, she took a seat in one of the ethereal chairs in her living room. She had long since acknowledged that she ended up here whenever she was truly nervous about something, as much as she didn't want to admit it. "Where are you this time?"

She had an inkling of where what she was calling for would be, but stubbornly decided to wait for the other this time. "Hehe, you got me this time, Onee-chan!" And there she was. The big labcoat and the cutesy demeanor. Naoto was secretly glad this was a strange dream rather than reality, or the blush that would have presented itself would be blooming like a solar flare.

"Pop quiz. What is it this time?"

"Daww, you know the answer to that, Onee-chan! The beach trip is tomorrow! We get to wear a swimsuit for the first time in…in…forever! It's so exciting."

"Nonsense! The notion of me wearing something like that is..is…-"

"Onee-cha~~n, I thought we promised ourself to be more….receptive to stuff like this! We can have fun too, y'know."

Naoto tilted her head in annoyance while fixing her other self with a soft glare. While she felt distanced from how her Shadow bathed in childish gestures, she had long since banished her more cold, calculating side. Since bonding with her friends and seeing a brighter side of life with Souji alongside her, the cold attitude she once held had melted away, replaced by a more optimistic personality. The more positive outlook however, gave her bubbly side a chance to be…more bubbly. And while it was hard to be upset at yourself, there was these moments that challenged the theory. "Yes, but…do you have no shame?"

"We~~ll, there are times where even Onee-chan can be _very_ bold." The cheery smile grew a bit. "Remember Christmas?"

"Ah! D-don't talk about that out loud!" Naoto jumped up to clamp a hand over her Shadow's mouth gently. Quickly looking around alertly, she realized something…and her blush deepened even more. She was still in a dream (snake eater~). Suddenly, she felt her hand shaking. Turning her gaze to her Shadow, she saw that her other personality was giggling uncontrollably. Changing her stare to an admonishing look, Naoto demanded that she stopped.

Logically, Shadow Naoto's response was to bite a finger of the hand holding her mouth, eliciting the reaction she expected. Their minds worked the same, after all. Naoto let out a soft yelp and removed her hand. Rubbing her finger gently, her glare hardened a fraction. The Shadow simply smiled widely. "That was something you needed, Onee-chan! We were so…alone for the longest time." The Shadow's tone dropped a bit, causing Naoto to look up in concern. "We…we have friends now, Onee-chan. And I don't know what goes on in your part of our mind, but…" Shadow Naoto looked her dominant self in the eye, with tears brimming in the corners of hers. "I don't want to lose any more time that can be used with them at our side. Detective work keeps us busy, y'know?"

Naoto mused at the perspective presented to her. While her other side was right, the logic itself was clouded by the responsibilities she thought she was forced to hold resolutely. Sighing softly, she smiled at her Shadow. "You're right…of course you are. Whatever I'm looking for is usually in your hands. Or…sleeves, more like." The Shadow smiled and held her alternate's cheeks with her sleeve-covered hands, pulling gently. "Souji-chan will be impressed, too! The face he made on Christmas was so worth the effort!" Cocking her head a bit, the Shadow blushed as deeply as her counterpart at the thought of that December. The child seemed to be far more _visibly_ content compared to the easily embarrassed sleuth, however. "Hehehe. Good night, Onee-chan. We should get our rest for the big trip tomorrow!" Winking mischievously, the Shadow waved her hands comically as a form of goodbye. Now alone in her thoughts, Naoto sighed again in resignation, but a smile was on her face. Relaxing in a chair, she drifted off back to sleep. While she was asleep.

✨ The Morning of the Trip...

Waking up (for real this time), Naoto shifted a bit before realizing where she was. Souji lay on his side, facing her as his right arm was wrapped gently around her waist. Naoto was nuzzled snugly against him, and her head was resting on his left bicep. Her expression softened sympathetically as she studied Souji's face. Working to keep the group from destroying the living room whenever an argument broke out along with enduring the heat from the kitchen while he was cooking had taken a toll on his energy. As a result, he was sleeping just a little longer than he normally would, and Naoto had no intention of disturbing his well-earned rest. Watching such a peaceful face, who would?

_Hmm…even after the case ended, you still manage to hold us together…don't you, Souji-kun? _Nestling against his chest a little more, Naoto smiled to herself and enjoyed the warmth around her. Looking up to observe his features again, she was surprised to meet Souji's tired, half-lidded gaze. Smiling sleepily, he pulled her a bit closer in an act of reassurance. "Um…I-I-I'm sorry, Senpai! Did I wake you?"

"Mm. Don't worry about it…did you sleep well?"

"E-err…yes, the rest was very…um…r-revitalizing."

"What were you saying to yourself? I think I heard something about Christmas…"

The soft blush on Naoto's face deepened as she thought about the dream…and then Christmas. "N-nothing! Nothing…i-it must have been just…well…ah!"

Her distracted mumblings were silenced as Souji squeezed lovingly, pressing his lips gently to her forehead. The hand he had resting on her lower back rose to brush her hair, and Naoto couldn't help but relax and meld into the gesture. Souji's smile grew a bit, and he continued stroking her hair as she closed her eyes and exhaled contentedly. Moving his hand from her hair to her cheek, he rubbed it gently with his thumb. Naoto's eyes opened a fraction to stare affectionately at him, and Souji's heart skipped a beat at the degree of emotion visible in her eyes. Bringing his face closer to hers, he nuzzled a bit against her forehead before giving her a soft kiss. Their lips released after a few short seconds, but the feelings exchanged between the two were palpable. Naoto pressed herself closer to him and tried to hide her blush, but a small, satisfied smile made its way onto her face. "I wish we could stay like this, just for today."

"I know. Me too. Sorry, but...the beach trip's today. Are you still worried?"

"Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't, but...it'll be okay, right?"

"Of course. And if anything does go wrong, I'll be there in a second."

"I somehow doubt that the circumstances will become that drastic. I-I mean, not that I don't believe you, but...it won't, right?"

"Yeah. The rendezvous won't be for a few more hours. I can make some breakfast while you freshen up. Sounds go- whoa!"

Souji had begun to shift around, replacing his arm with a pillow for Naoto to rest her head on. However, he wasn't about to get away that easily, as Naoto tugged him back down into the mattress, and cupped his cheek with her hand to keep him docile for a bit. "Uh...N-Naoto?"

"You worked so hard yesterday, and you looked very fatigued when everyone finally left. Just rest for now, okay?"

"But, I-I'm fine. Really, I-"

_Beep._

Their gaze slowly moved to focus on the watches that rested on the bedside cupboard. Naoto took the initiative to pull Souji's head so that his forehead rested on hers. "You don't have to be so stubborn, Senpai. And...I've grown to like that sound whenever you were here. Would you listen to it one more time with me...?"

Souji considered the logic that was given to him, but the true deciding factor was the kindly look Naoto was sending in his direction, tinged with a bit of pleading. As he tried to slow his heartbeat from how she was staring at him, he sighed in resignation and settled down. Naoto shuffled towards him so that her head rested on his chest, and she pulled his arm to her so that it was wrapped around her shoulder. Closing her eyes again, she sighed happily. "This is good, isn't it?"

"Hmm...you say I'm stubborn, but here you are, holding me hostage in your apartment." Souji kissed her cheek and brought his hand up to brush her hair once again and, after she eventually fell asleep again, settled down and drifted off to the sounds of Naoto's soft breathing and incoherent mumbles.

_Beep._

✨ Souji woke up after a few more hours of rest, and groggily searched for Naoto with his hands. Slowly opening his eyes, he was surprised to see the detective had disappeared from the covers. Finding the will to drag himself to the bathroom, he began to freshen up for whatever the beach held for him. Slipping into some simple clothes, he made his way to the kitchen. At the base of the staircase, he heard a soft crash followed by a soft sigh of frustration. Peeking out into the kitchen, he saw a very…out of the ordinary sight. Naoto was clad in an apron that she wore over her pajamas, and had her gaze focused on a small cookbook that was beside the stove. It looked like she was trying her hand at making breakfast. There were two perfectly done eggs set on two plates, and he noticed there was a small stack of pancakes next to Naoto herself. She seemed to be having trouble with working with the batter, as there were a few burnt and/or semi-exploded pancakes in the trash bin. Feeling like he was falling in love with the sight before him, he knocked gently on the door of the fridge. Naoto didn't notice. Sighing in exasperation after two more tries, he grinned and got close enough the embrace her from behind, earning a small squeak of surprise. "Ah! Oh…g-good morning, Souji-kun."

"Good morning, Naoto-chan."

"Um…chan?"

"I was testing how it sounds. What do you prefer?"

"Just…just Naoto is fine. When it's you, there's no need for honorifics."

"Then I'm happy to provide. Do you still feel like calling me Senpai?"

"Well…I-I…"

"Whatever you like. That title always sounds more personal when you say it the way you do. But…there was never a need to be formal with me."

"Alright…Souji-kun."

Souji shuddered lightly with delight, and squeezed her appreciatively. He turned his attention back to the stove, which was shut off, thanks to Naoto's precaution. "And what might Naoto be up to this morning?"

"I was…I was trying to make breakfast."

"Well, it looks like you're doing well. Should I leave you to it, or do you want help?"

"I'll be fine. Please, sit."

Taking a seat at the kitchen table, Souji picked up the day's newspaper and patiently read and waited for Naoto to finish. He did, however, catch the few uneasy glances Naoto gave him when something seemed to go wrong in the kitchen. After about 5 times, Souji returned the look and offered his advice, which was refused with a blush. A few minutes later, and breakfast was ready, although Naoto had to take a second shower to get the flour off her. Feeling a sense of pressure at the worried stare bearing down on him, he quickly tasted the food.

…_!_

_It's…!_

Naoto leaned forward a bit as Souji froze, concerned that she had made a new generation of the supposed Mystery Food X, which she had been told could fell the strongest will. She was relieved as Souji looked up at her, but was more bemused at the shine in his eyes, as well as the Teddie-esque cloud of sparkles that seemed to emanate from him. "Um…Souji-kun?" The response she received was a questioning head tilt, but the sparkles lever left. "Souji-kun…where did the…glitter come from?" That seemed to snap him out of his trance. "O-oh. I'm sorry, it's just…it's…!" A childish smile crossed his face as he explained, and Naoto couldn't help but giggle at his antics. She felt a swell of pride at the praise she received from the master cook of Inaba _and _her boyfriend. And so breakfast went on, with Naoto blushing at the compliments Souji showered upon her.

_Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi_

_"Hey, Souji! Everyone phoned in. We're about to head to Okina to meet up before the beach trip. Get Naoto-kun and your swim gear and meet up with us, okay?"_

"Wait, Yosuke, I-"

_Click._

Sighing, Souji set his phone on the table and looked to Naoto, worried that she hadn't said anything in objection. As his gaze found her face, he raised an eyebrow quizzically. Naoto had was fiddling with her hands as she stared at the empty dishes on the table, a bashful smile on her face as she shifted around. _Now there's a side of Naoto that I definitely don't see often..._

"Naoto?"

That seemed to snap her out of her reverie. Her eyes lit up with a spark of identity as her gaze darted around the room alertly, before finally focusing on Souji. Almost naturally, the blush that was dusting her cheeks bloomed faster than ever. Naoto held the stare as Souji tried his hardest not to chuckle at her thoroughly flustered expression. As she couldn't take it anymore, the blush finally peaked and Naoto made a small squeaking sound as she darted to her room, shouting over her shoulder, "I-I-I'm going t-to prepare my supplies for the trip!" Souji's bemused gaze followed the retreating figure until she was out of sight, then smiled affectionately, taking a small sip of coffee as his personal swimsuit was tossed out in a haphazardly packed duffel bag. The trajectory was followed by a simple dressed Naoto who had her head bowed and a small pack in her hands. "Are...are you ready to depart?"

"Of course."

* * *

**I'm back!**

**Yay?**

***confetti***

***tomato to the face***

**Er, well...leave a review if you feel like it.**


	6. Golden Days

**This…is a pretty long chapter compared to the rest. That's good, though! Enjoy.**

* * *

"Go on ahead to Junes. I have to get to Dojima's and get some supplies."

"Supplies? I can help you carry some of it if you want to ride on the back."

"No no, it's not safe. I'll see you there, okay?"

"…Okay. See you there, Souji-kun."

A quick wave and Naoto was off driving towards the general direction of the store. Souji looked on until she was out of sight, then jogged briskly to the Dojima residence. "Uncle…? Nanako?" After knocking a few times, Souji let himself in and noted that neither Dojima nor Nanako had returned home yet. _Hmm…I need to grab the picnic basket, some blankets, and…oh, right. My fishing equipment. _Nodding to himself, Souji set off to complete the task at hand. Twenty minutes later, and Souji had a medium-sized duffel bag slung around his shoulder with his old fishing rod tucked neatly on top of it. He was carrying his basic fishing gear in a small case, which he hoped wouldn't impair his driving. Adjusting the bag to fit more comfortable around his shoulder, he mounted his scooter and started riding.

✨ A short drive to Junes later…

"There he is. Souji-kun!"

"Morning, Yukiko. I think I speak for all of us that we're glad you made it."

"Yeah. Thanks, work at the Inn gets tiring after a while."

"Well, that make it the perfect opportunity to unwind, Yukiko-senpai! I'm taking this trip as a little celebration for my new album coming out."

"That's beary good to hear, Rise-chan!"

"Hold on, hold on!" All eyes turned to Yosuke, some impatiently, as he interrupted. "Why don't we start heading to the beach first? We can chat along the way and celebrate when we get there…?" The hardened eyes boring into the poor teen softened a fraction as the team nodded in unanimous agreement. As each member headed to their respective vehicles, Souji reached out to gently grab Naoto's shoulder. Her reaction was a startled jump that further worried Souji that her coming along was a bad idea. Turning only her head, she gazed at him with eyes that betrayed no emotion. "Naoto…are you sure about this?"

"What do you mean, Souji-kun?"

"This. The whole trip. It's your last chance to back out, and it's perfectly fine if you do. You know that, right…?"

"Yes…but it would be a shame to miss out on an Investigation Team fiasco party, would it not?"

"That…I-"

"Souji-kun, we've discussed this to a solid conclusion. I…it's not worth missing a chance like this just because of my own reservations. And…I want to see you fish."

Souji's eyes widened a bit as he saw a genuine smile on Naoto's face, but he got over it just as quickly to return the expression. He released his grip and led her to her scooter before boarding his.

✨ Shichiri Beach…

Souji sat on the warm sand as he yawned and check the condition of his fishing rod. He glanced towards the spot where he used to fish for the Shichiri Guardian, and had managed to contain his surprise that a sturdy wooden dock had been built to accommodate aspiring sea fishermen. He had been in touch with the elderly fisherman a few days prior, and was informed that there were some folding chairs stashed away near the changing area. Souji noted that he would offer a seat to Naoto when he began fishing. It would keep her away from Teddie's swimsuit shenanigans and stress that she might regret coming along. _That, and…I wouldn't mind chatting with her. She's changed a lot but managed to stay that…amazing. _Yosuke took a seat next to Souji and elbowed his shoulder to get his attention. "Oh, Yosuke. Did you need something?"

"No, not really. It's just…do you think Naoto-kun will be okay with all this…? Rise was dragging her into the changing room. That might not end well."

"I think it'll be fine. She told me herself, and I'm not about to stop taking her word for it."

"If you say so, man. But if you need to rein the girls in from picking on her, then don't feel like it's unnecessary."

"When did you get so leader like? You trying to take over the team? Might let me catch a break…"

"A-…are you serious? I mean, if you are then-"

"You still fall for sarcasm every time, partner. Like when I told you Marie was my sister."

"Hey! She looked like she _would _be related to you. You can't blame a guy for that!"

"It's too bad she couldn't make it."

"Yep. She sends you her regards, though."

"Okay…what happened to Kanji and Teddie?"

"Them? Well, uh…"

Souji followed Yosuke's point until he noticed the giant splashes of water streaking in the sea. Teddie was following some kind of…creature, and Kanji was following close behind, shouting at the bear between breaths. "Teddie! Get back here, ya dumb bear! You can't catch the Guardian with yer paws!"

"No~~, I can do it! I'm using my bear powers to charm the beast!"

"You don't HAVE bear powers, you're a weirdo in a suit! Get back here!"

Souji watched the ridiculous trio circle around until his eyes started to get tired, but not before he thought he saw the Guardian shooting him a look like the company he kept was going to drive him insane. Shaking his head, Souji pondered his possible state of mind until he heard someone calling him. "Senpai! We finished changing!" Souji started to stand…

✨ Five minutes ago…

Naoto had managed to get Rise out of the changing room after everyone else had finished changing, much to her relief. Sitting on one of the benches, she took her face in her palms and stared dully at the small bag next to her. _I've come this far…I just have to change into the…oh dear. _Naoto thought back to one of her dates, later in her relationship with Souji. She was worried that dressing as a boy on a date with another person of the same gender would damage his reputation…and to a lesser extent, her own.

"_Senpai?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_Senpai, wait."_

_Souji stopped his moderate pace to turn and look quizzically at Naoto. His worry grew as he saw Naoto shifting nervously, fiddling with her hands while trying to meet his gaze. Her eyes shifted from his face to the ground, and she thought about giving up until Souji gently lifted her chin with his hand. The soft look he was giving her as he tilted his head questioningly made her blush flare up more. "Senpai…I don't know if this is working."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I mean, t-this." She gestured to herself, particularly the clothes she was wearing. "I-…aren't you worried that people are going to misinterpret our relationship."_

"_What can be misinterpreted?"_

"_Senpai, you know…don't you? You're a man, and I'm…d-dressed like one. You can piece together the rest, no?"_

"_Of course I can, but the word around town travels fast. People already know you're actually female, and they respect you even more for that."_

"_W-well, as good to hear as that is, what about when we're not in Inaba?"_

"_If I got where this is going, you don't have to start wearing a dress just because you're worried about me. The local police respect you too much to fault you for anything, too."_

"_But…aren't you-"_

"_No…I'm not. You don't have to do anything extravagant for me, and I think I should be honored that you returned my feelings in the first place."_

_Naoto raised her gaze to Souji's eyes, and tried to discern if he was being sarcastic. As she expected, he was as sincere as he always was with her, and relief flooded through her. Souji smiled then, and the affection that was evident on his face astounded Naoto. Leaning in close, he gave her a gentle kiss, which Naoto happily returned. Silently glad that she had such an understanding lover, she slowly closed her eyes and embraced the feeling flowing inside her heart._

"He said he felt that way often, but…" She glanced again at the bag next to her. "It's just the beach. It can't hurt, and there's only my friends out there." Her Shadow buzzed agreeably in the back of her mind, and she nodded to herself in affirmation. Slowly, she reached out to grab the bag.

✨ Present time…

"Senpai! We finished changing!" _Okay…if she's not there, then it's okay. It'll be just like the beauty pageant…she still looked cute back then too, though… _Souji was wrestling with his inner turmoil, with his normal mindset understanding where she was coming from, but was jarred by an odd sense of anticipation at the possibility. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and brushed the sand off his trunks as he turned around. Surveying the girls as they strode onto the shore, he absently nodded his approval. But…someone was missing. Then he caught a flash of _something _ducking behind the nearby signpost. Tilting his head questioningly, he looked to the team for answers, but was met with similar confusion…until Rise caught on. Dashing to the hiding spot she gently grabbed the arm of whomever was hiding. "W-wait! Rise-san, I- !"

"It's ok, Naoto-kun! It's just us here, and I'm sure _Souji-senpai _wants to see you in a swimsuit!"

"B-but, I-…um…just wai-"

Before she knew it, Naoto was sitting on a blanket under an umbrella that was set up by Souji beforehand. The rest of the team had dispersed at a curt nod from Souji. She didn't need to have the whole team staring at her. Then Rise continued her plan, hauling up Naoto by her arm and pushing her in Souji's direction. Giving out a shout of dismay as she tripped on a sand hill, she put her hands up to prepare for impact. To her surprise, she fell into a pair of arms that swept her back onto her feet. Looking up to her savior, Naoto beheld Souji's calm expression, but…he looked troubled. He had her shoulders in a gentle grip to keep her steady, but he had a blush on his face and every time he made eye contact with her, he averted his gaze a bit. Naoto's own blush deepened heavily as she looked down at the sand and mumbled, "It..i-it looks terrible…doesn't it?" Souji released his grip and, taking a small step back, took in her appearance in greater detail. The design she had chosen was a simple two-piece style, with a dark blue color trimmed with sky blue, and Souji was shocked that the ring she wore often still hung around her neck, shining in the sunlight. The swimsuit itself fit her curves perfectly, and Souji found it difficult to avoid staring at how beautiful she looked in the sun. Naoto raised her gaze to study Souji's face, and was astonished to see his nervous expression as he looked into her eyes. "Souji-kun…?" That seemed to jolt him.

"H-huh? Oh…I-I…uh…" He crossed his arms and covered his mouth with his knuckle as he looked away to hide his blush. "You…you look incredible, Naoto." He removed his hand and gazed at her dreamily. "Honestly. You look…really cute." An affectionate smile formed on his face as Naoto's blush deepened as she looked down, flustered. Despite herself, her heart fluttered at his words and the compassionate look he was giving her. "Rise went out to the water to watch Teddie wrestling Kanji. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't want to experience any bear-related 'wardrobe malfunctions'. It's time for some fishing."

"Do you…um…do you mind if I come with you?"

Souji turned around to look at Naoto, who was still looking down but was staring up at him uneasily, with her hands clasped behind her back. Her pleading eyes seemed to bore into him, and he felt his heart overflow with sympathy. Nodding quickly, he led her to the fishing dock before going to fetch the chairs.

Soon enough, Souji had two chairs set up next to each other and began readying his fishing rod. Naoto had taken a seat, and was watching with curiosity as she sipped from a bottle of water Souji had handed her. Drawing the hoodie he had given her around her shoulders, she listened intently as Souji gave her an explanation of how to use the tool, and chided him for not being more careful. "You were fishing in the rain?"

"Well…yeah."

"So that's why you were sick that day…"

"_Good morning, Nanako-chan. Is Souji-kun still upstairs?"_

"_Yeah! Dad wanted to take him to the hospital, but he didn't want to. I don't know why…maybe he'll tell you, Naoto-chan!"_

"_Oh…are you headed somewhere, Nanako-chan?"_

"_I was gonna go to Junes to get some medicine."_

"_Hum…why don't you go spend time at a friend's house? I can take care of him for now."_

"_Okay, Naoto-chan! Here's the neighbor's phone number just in case you need me!"_

"_Thank you, Nanako-chan. Don't worry, I have some detective remedies that can cure him quickly."_

_The two shared a wink before Nanako skipped outside, humming the Junes theme. Sighing, Naoto took off her cap and headed upstairs to Souji's room. Shutting the door to his room behind her, she leaned on it and gazed at the bedridden teen. He was leaning on a pillow and was breathing shallow breaths, but his eyes sparkled at the sight of Naoto. Before he could greet her, he started coughing huskily, and leaned more heavily on the pillow instead. Fixing him with a mock pout as she sat at the foot of his futon, she started off. "Today was our date, Senpai…"_

"_I-I know. I'm sorry, I was…um…fishing."_

"_Fishing?"_

"_Yeah…there's an elder down at the floodplain. He wanted to see the Shichiri Guardian before…" He started coughing again, and Naoto leaned over to press her palm against his forehead. "Wow…you're recovering quickly. Maybe it's because by the training in the television." She looked at him again, and a coy smile crossed her face. Leaning over, she planted a soft kiss on his lips, breaking the contact as soon as it started to stare into his surprised eyes with a degree of affection and a bit of mischief. "I suppose I have to help you get better, Senpai. After all…" She leaned in again to hover her lips in front of his. "You owe me."_

"I still think you were feigning your illness, Souji-kun."

"Well, your 'detective remedies' were some factor in my recovery." He hid a grin as Naoto blushed softly. "Ah, there we go." Souji finished rigging the rod, as he turned and took a seat on a chair beside Naoto's. Souji launched into another in-depth explanation about being like water, and if the author knew how to fish then this chapter would make said author look smarter. Oh well. After showing Naoto the ropes with a few practice throws, he urged her to take a seat on his chair in front of him. Reluctantly, she complied, fighting the blush covering her cheeks, and sat on his lap, giving a small shiver at the direct skin contact. Souji held her hands as he placed the fishing pole in them, and gently guided her movements to react to the bobbing accordingly. "Naoto, you need to relax your forearms. If the fish bucks, it's going to hurt…"

"O-o-okay…is this right?"

"Perfect. Now hold it steady…"

Souji gently lifted her off his lap and pulled her back against him in an embrace to keep her steady. Naoto's blush by now was in full bloom, but her curiosity to learn what enticed Souji so much about fishing distracted her from where she was…barely. Her attention was jolted as the wire strained taut. "Souji-kun! The wire!"

"You got a bite! Okay, hold on tight. It looks like a big one!"

The duo tightened their grip on the pole as they began slowly reeling in the fish. After a few minutes of battling the powerful prey, Souji nodded to Naoto, "Time for an All-Out Attack." With a powerful twist of his wrist, the fish was in the air and Souji was snatching a sizable fishnet. A few seconds later and the fish was in the net and Naoto couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at the accomplishment for her first time fishing. "Wow! Did you guys catch that?"

"Whoa! Did Naoto-kun do that?"

"Souji? Did she manage that one?"

All eyes turned to Souji as they awaited his input. Wearing a wry smile he answered, "Oh yes. She gets very competitive, you know. Pushed me out of the way and reeled it in herself."

Cheering drowned him out as Naoto was picked up by the team and paraded around the beach. Souji tried to hold his laughter at the murderous look she shot him with as she struggled to get off the wave of friends. "Whenever you're done surfing, we can have some lunch, Naoto!"

"Souji-kun!"

✨ Intermission…?

The team had paused between bites of Souji's bento boxes and praising the cook himself multiple times before he was forced to tell them to focus on eating. Naoto had taken the liberty of sitting next to Souji, and nibbled her California Rolls as she recounted the experience of fishing for the first time.

✨ A hop, skip, and a jump later…

"Come one, Souji!"

"No."

"But it went kinda well last time…didn't it?"

"No."

"Sense~i, don't you want to see Nao-chan in a yukata?"

"I think I'll live if it means you guys don't peep again."

"But Souji-"

"_Yosuke_."

"Sensei-"

"_Teddie_. Anything to say, Kanji?"

"U-…uh…."

"Good night to you too."

✨ The next day…

_Oh, right…she's coming over tonight. Better give her a call…_

* * *

**Sorry, I've been really busy dealing with obstacles the life throws at you. By that, I mean classes. Hope you like the chapter, though. Leave a review if you want.**

**Later!**


	7. Just Us

_Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi…_

Naoto looked up from the case files she was mulling over to check her phone.

_Hmm? A call from…Souji-kun! What could it be abou-_

_Oh…he mentioned something about that…_

"Shirogane speaking."

"_Naoto, I'm pretty sure you know it's me by now."_

"Well…it doesn't hurt to be formal when addressing someone."

"_With me, there's no need. You know I'm your boyfriend…right? Yours."_

Naoto's cheeks sported a light dusting of pink as she thought about his words. "You…you love saying embarrassing things like that, don't you…a-anyway, did you call for any reason? Or do you just seek to make me blush?"

"_A healthy blush is one of your cutest features, Milady. Anyway, I have a little surprise for you. Can you still make it tonight?"_

"Um…will we…will we be alone?"

"_Yeah, we will. I mean, if that's alright with you. Dojima is still working late, and Nanako is spending time at a friend's house."_

"O-oh…well, um…"

"_If it makes you feel more reassured, I promise I'll act like a gentleman should you so please."_

"N-no, it's not that, it's…er…I'll tell you when I get there. See you tonight, Souji-kun."

"_Okay. See you tonight…I love you."_

"I…" Souji didn't hear her, and had ended the call a few seconds prior. Naoto closed the phone and pressed the top to her lips, murmuring, "I love you, too." The ring's glow flared a light pink as she finished. Sighing, she turned back to the files she was studying and nodded resolutely. "I better get these out of the way. I don't need this on my mind while I'm there."

✨ Meanwhile…

Souji exhaled and took a seat on his couch, taking his face in his palms. _Ok...she's coming over now. Guaranteed, at least. Now, I just need to prepare some food that she would like...California Rolls? No, no, she might be getting tired of those. Oh! There's that recipe I learned in Shibuya… _Souji continued his absent musing until he heard the phone downstairs ringing. "...Hello?"

"_Hey, Souji. It's me, Dojima. Nanako and I will be back tomorrow night. We, uh, woulda been back today but her friend's parents said it would be good to bring her to work. Y'know, show her how her old man works."_

"That's good. Where are you two gonna be spending the night?"

"_Oh, that. Right. She caught wind that a new kid's toy store was opening in Okina or something. Knowing her recently, she's gonna take a good few hours looking for Junes brand Teddie figures, hahah. We'll spend a night at a hotel there. Sorry, but I hope you're managing alright."_

"Quiet as normal here, sir. I'll have some food ready for you two when you get back."

"_...-Hey, hold on! Nanako, wai-"_

"Er...Uncle?"

"_Big Br~o, have you been to the police station? I even see Naoto-chan here, but when I mention you she kinda blushes and changes the subject...did you hurt her feelings?"_

"I hope not. I-I don't think so, at least. And...keep this a secret, but I'm inviting her over for a little sleepover. I brought some movies over from the city. Oh, and for when you get back, there's a little gift for you on the table."

"_..."_

"Nanako?" Straining his ears, he faintly heard Nanako and Dojima arguing about something…

"_Da~d, can we go home now?"_

"_What? No, we can't, I'm working! What changed all of a sudden?"_

"_Big Bro said he has a gift for me at home! I wanna see it!"_

"_I'm sure it can wait till we get back. Don't you want to see the new toy store in Okina?"_

"_Oh...um...okay! I'm sure it can wait till we get back!"_

"_Haha…that's good to know. Would you mind passing me the phone?"_

"So...she has you wrapped around her finger?"

"_Ha...don't say that out loud. Anyway, I gotta run. Talk to you when we get home, okay?"_

"Have fun, sir."

"_Drop that. Talk to you later, kiddo."_

Souji chuckled as he placed the phone back in the dock and reclined on the couch. Closing his eyes, he thought about what he could do to make his room more comfortable for the two of them.

✨ Meanwhile...

Naoto leaned back in her desk chair and stared at the old blue cap that was laying on the kitchen counter. Closing her eyes, she relaxed and slowly felt herself drifting off. _Just a little rest...I have to finish filing the case folders…_

…

…

…

"_Souji-kun…?" She looked down again to check on the slumbering teen. "Are you awake?" Smiling absently to herself, Naoto brushed a loose hair off Souji's cheek. She continued stroking his cheek unwittingly until she turned her attention back to the book in her free hand. Unfortunately, she found her attention being continually diverted from the novel, which she was admittedly losing interest in compared to her current predicament, back to the man with his head resting on her lap. She let a small smile make its way onto her face again as she quietly cooed, "Souji-ku~n…" Holding back a giggle at how serene his expression was, Naoto set her reading aside and picked up a spare blanket lying near her, throwing it over Souji's shoulders as she did. A mild blush dusted her cheeks as her gaze shifted from his shut eyes to his lips, wrestling with her thoughts as she reasoned that he wouldn't mind._

_Swallowing her fear, she brushed some of her hair behind her ear as she leaned down. Hesitating just before her destination, she shut her eyes and reassured herself. Half-opening them, she pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. Releasing the contact as soon as she had started, she placed her fingers over her mouth as she closed her eyes and savored his taste. _

"…_That's one way to wake me up…"_

_Naoto's eyes shot open as she hastily looked down to behold Souji smiling up at her drowsily. Naoto cried out in alarm and quickly started to apologize before he weakly reached up to caress her cheek reassuringly. "Sorry I fell asleep, it's just…working the day care sapped my energy today. Sor-mmf-" Naoto had leaned down to kiss him again, taking a page out of his book in an effort to silence him. By now, Souji was fully awake and he matched her mischievous gaze with a mildly amused one of his own. Slowly pulling himself up, so as not to put pressure on Naoto's leg, he stretched his arms and yawned as he sat next to her. "How's the new book?"_

"_Senpai…you don't really want to know, do you?"_

"_Well…having read it already, I just want to know if you like it too."_

"_You're a bad liar."_

_Souji simply smiled in response, he leaned over so that his face was only a few inches from hers. "Would my detective princess want me to do something else?"_

_He got the desired response as he watched her blush darken, and his smile turned gentle as he cupped her cheek. "S-Senpai?" He simply brushed her hair back as he leaned in close, murmuring, "Really, Naoto…you just can't help being so cute, hm?" Naoto opened her mouth to reply, and in a way was pleased with having done so as Souji captured her lips with his, taking his time to taste her as he tilted his head. Naoto's eyes became unfocused as she was lost in the feel, and her eyes became half-lidded as she felt a fuzzy heat building in her chest. With some effort she wrested her head from his and pressed her palm against him to stop his advancing for a moment. "W-wait! I…um…I want to finish this chapter first."_

"_Are you sure? Those eyes are telling me a different story."_

"_Well…I-I…er…" She gave him a mock glare, but it softened vulnerably as she spoke, her voice sinking to a mumble. "Shoot. You…you found me out again."_

"_I guess I'm learning the tools of the trade, huh?"_

_Naoto had to bite her lip to hold her voice as Souji started teasing the exposed area between her head and her shoulder. "Haa…you're the one who makes me act like this, Senpai…"_

"_Am I? You're just too incredible for me to handle."_

"_Senpai…"_

…_!_

…

…

Naoto awoke with a start as the Shadow in her mind was buzzing contentedly, holding a hand to her lips as she pondered why she dreamt about such a random moment. Blushing as she rewound the memory, she shook her thoughts away and started to focus on work again, albeit with a satisfied smile on her face.

✨ Dojima's…a few hours later.

Souji had just completed his grand exodus of trash and dust from the house before he had collapsed outside the kitchen, with the dinner he had finished cooking prior to cleaning resting on the stovetop. Opening his eyes, he raised his hand to gaze at the reading on the tracker watch.

_Whoa…time sure flew by. I should check if she's on her wa-_

_Tap-tap-tap…_

_Or…not._

Slapping his cheeks to wake himself up, he opened the door to behold Naoto…but her outfit was incredibly casual for the normally stoic sleuth. She was clad in a navy blue dress shirt with a black tie and dark jeans, but her trademark cap was absent this time around. A small duffel bag was slung over her shoulder as she bowed respectfully "Good evening, Souji-kun. Er…did I come too early?"

"No, no, of course not. Come in."

Following him inside, she shut the door behind her and started taking off her shoes. "Pardon the intrusion…" Souji smiled at her, but couldn't stifle a yawn as she walked past him. "Go ahead and go upstairs if you want. I can carry dinner up there." Naoto narrowed her eyes as she stared at him, before sighing and smiling. "Souji-kun…you were sleeping, weren't you?"

Souji blushed a bit at that. "You're imagining things. Go on, scoot."

"My deductive abilities never lie. Would you like some help?"

"…Upstairs."

Chuckling, Naoto adjusted her duffel and headed upstairs.

✨ A few minutes later…

The couple was seated on opposite sides of the small table in his room, making small talk over dinner. "Souji-kun?"

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Skiing."

"Huh?"

"Yosuke said he wants to hit the slopes again. I would've said we could go together, but I guess this fits the bill well enough."

"Are you going to keep your promise?"

"I've never gone back on my word. Of course I'll teach you this time around."

"That's a relief. Kanji-kun wasn't the best teacher, and Rise-san wasn't helping. Um…don't tell them that."

"Well, I did say I would catch you if you fell…I didn't think you actually would though…"

"That-! I, um…wanted to test if you were paying attention…?"

Souji smiled softly as Naoto tried to put on a straight face. "…You're a bad liar."

Naoto recalled the exact words she said to him from the memory of her dream, and her blush deepened as a result. "I…I wasn't heavy, was I…?"

"Hm? No, not at all. If anything, I would say you looked pretty satisfied with yourself when I caught you."

"Well…" Naoto matched Souji's smile as she finished, "Rise-san's face was a marvel to see."

"Heh. Can't argue with that logic."

Dinner continued in a comfortable silence until Souji felt an urge to strike up a conversation again. Drawing upon his abundant Expression, he looked up to notice Naoto staring at his dreamily, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. Whistling softly snapped her out of the trance, and Naoto's reaction to being caught in the act was to blush, stutter out an apology, and smile nervously before continuing the action of eating. Souji shook off the feeling he was getting and continued his intention. "Naoto? What did you think of the beach trip?"

"Hm? Oh, the trip. The fishing was a sufficient distraction. I assume it was enough to keep Teddie away if Yosuke-senpai and Kanji-kun were keeping an eye on him."

"I don't know...I think I saw a blur chasing after the fishing line."

The idle chat continued as the last of the meal was polished off.

✨ After dinner…

"The bath is ready. Go on and use it when you're ready."

"Ah. Thank you, Souji-kun."

"I'll be downstairs cleaning up. Take your time, okay?"

Nodding slowly, Naoto watched Souji take his leave before sighing softly and looking towards the bathroom, then her duffel bag, which still lay in a corner out of the way. Removing her tie, she began unbuttoning her dress shirt, musing at the bindings underneath. While she had taken less drastic measures to use the bandages, using them regardless was still a habit. She looked again towards the door and finished removing her shirt. A strange feeling of nostalgia washed over her as she did, but she shook it off as she stood and entered the bathroom.

…

Naoto sighed contentedly as she relaxed in the steaming water. _It's been a while since I took a bath here…how is it possible that he can do everything so well…? _She settled deeper into the water and thought about their conversation.

_...Skiing, huh?_

_Hmm...I wonder if I'll get any better. The snowstorm towards the end of the last trip didn't help, however. I suppose it did end well enough if we saved Marie-san._

_...What would have happened in that old shed if they didn't show up when they did? _

_Oh dear...was it really the 'suspension bridge' effect I mentioned? Or...did I just make more excuses to get closer to him..._

_He knew. He always does. That must be why he didn't object...the feeling was mutual._

_Truly, an enigma. And...I think I...appreciate him all that much more for it. Souji-kun..._

She leaned her head back a bit so that she was staring at the ceiling, drawing her knees up to her chest.

✨ Downstairs, five minutes later...

Souji had been washing the last of the dishes when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Naoto had padded downstairs, and he faintly registered a soft thump, probably from her taking a seat on the sofa. "Was the bath warm enough?"

Her voice was drowsy as she answered, "Yes, it was very nice...thank you, Souji-kun."

"Tired?"

There was no answer from her as Souji put away the last of the dishes. Turning, he beheld Naoto dozing on the couch, curled up in her dark pajamas with a small towel as her pillow. Smiling slightly, he slowly picked her up and headed toward the stairs. Kissing her forehead caused her to curl up against him, before murmuring softly and relaxing. Making his way into his room he lay her down on his futon and drew the covers up to her chin, taking the towel she now had draped around her neck. The slumbering sleuth mumbled a bit and drew the blanket tighter around her. Souji took as seat at his work desk and took a look at his watch, musing at how much time he had until the bedtime he designated for himself. Shrugging lightly, he picked up some of the books he had set aside and set about translating some text for one of his part-time jobs. He felt himself drifting after about 30 minutes, but jumped a bit with a start as he remembered he needed to take a shower. Glancing towards Naoto, he tiptoed towards the bathroom and slowly shut the door behind him, with a change of clothes tucked under one arm.

Naoto sleepily opened her eyes at the small creaking sounds coming from the door. Sitting up, she groggily scanned her surroundings as she yawned softly. Her eyes fell upon the old Yasogami gakuran that Souji kept in the best condition he could. Musing at how the gakuran was a good margin larger than the one she wore to school, she felt a strange urge…_No, no...I don't want to disturb him._ Her Shadow continued its small tirade and, it being a part of Naoto, she found it harder and harder to resist. Taking another look at the jacket, she blushed heavily and leaned up a bit.

"Naoto? Are you in he-"

"Oh…Senpai. Um…"

Souji walked in to behold Naoto sitting on the futon…wearing his gakuran over her pajamas. The longer sleeves reminded Souji faintly of her Shadow, but more to the point: despite how admittedly strange the situation was, she looked as adorable as her alter ego. "Why are you wearing that?" Naoto's response was to shyly draw the jacket around her like a protective blanket, before murmuring, "I can feel your presence in this room…" Her blush deepened as she continued. "It…i-it makes my heart race every time I'm in here…"

Souji swallowed nervously as he tried to slow his rising heart rate, slowly putting his words together."Is...is that so? Well..." Souji took a seat on the sheets next to her. "I think that's a good thing." Naoto gazed up at him through her fringe of short, damp hair as she weighed his logic. Souji stared softly at her until he noticed that her eyes lit up, and cocked his head to the side a bit questioningly as her look focused onto him. "Naoto?" Silently, Naoto slowly inched towards him on her hands and knees until her face was mere inches from his. Souji narrowed his eyes in confusion as Naoto blinked at him, and he thought he saw a sparkle as she half-closed her eyes and leaned closer to him. Souji tried to get a word out as..."Nao-" She pressed her lips to his as her eyes shut completely, and she perched herself on his lap as she brought her arms up to drape themselves loosely around his shoulders. Souji was slowly finding it harder to think reasonably as his arms, which were initially going to pull her off him, instead wrapped themselves around her waist. Putting some pressure on her lower back forced Naoto to shift as she felt heat rising (not the skill) in her cheeks, letting out an accidental moan. Breaking the contact, their thrilled stares met. Naoto sat back on his lap to tilt her head in asking, and Souji responded with a kiss as he led her down so that she was pinned underneath him. As they ended the kiss once again, Naoto smiled affectionately. "I love you."

Souji was taken aback at the sincerity in her husky tone, but disregarded it as he leaned down again, giving her a kiss that was worth more than anything he could say vocally.

* * *

**Personal 1 to 1 fluff chapter this time around. Reviews are always appreciated, and I hope you stick with me till the story ends, which may be soon, depending.**

**Later!**


	8. 2 in Room, 3 at Home

Naoto awoke once again in Souji's futon, and felt a nagging sense of drowsiness as she registered her current position. She was nestled against her boyfriend with an arm draped on his chest while her head rested around the same place. Souji's arm was wrapped around her shoulder so she was pressed comfortably against him, and the sleuth couldn't help but nuzzle deeper into him and sigh. "…I like cuddling, too." Naoto's eyes slowly opened as she realized that she had awoken him again. Flustered, she tried to hide her blush by burying her face deeper into his shirt, and Souji faintly heard her mumbling something against him. "Naoto?" His remark was answered by her looking up briefly to meet his gaze, but the eye contact was quickly broken as her expression flashed with guilt and she nuzzled against him again. Souji hid a smile as he gently lifted her up so that he was sitting against the wall against a pillow with Naoto lying between his legs, leaning snugly on him as she still tried to hide her face. "Naoto?"

"I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

"I…I keep interrupting your sleep every morning. I-I don't know, I just can't help it."

"I can't fault you for something so trivial. It's no problem to me, really."

"Souji-kun…at the very least, you deserve to be able to sleep without someone bothering you."

"You were never a bother. Let's look at it this way: why do you like doing what you do?"

Naoto turned her head to stare at him out of the corner of her eye, before replying bashfully, "Um, y-you…you make a good pillow." As she finished, her blush softened a bit but she still held a worried look in her eyes. Souji couldn't help but smile at her concern.

"If that's what you like to do, then why stop now?"

"Souji-kun…I-"

He lifted her again so that she was sitting on his lap, and his hand rose to brush some hair off her cheek before caressing it with his palm. Naoto half-lidded her eyes and pressed a bit into his touch, but they never broke their eye contact. Souji's expression softened as he continued his ministrations and his voice dropped to a murmur. "Whatever it is that you feel is best. I just…" He smiled sadly as he found the will to continue. "You mean the world to me. While I was back in the city, I couldn't bear the thought that you were back here and I wasn't. I know you don't like when I spoil you but…it's like a dream whenever I'm with you." Naoto felt a tug at her heartstrings as Souji stopped his movements, deigning to simply hold her cheek as he studied her face, as if she would disappear at any time. Naoto recalled that since the battle with Izanami, Souji had developed a sense of mental guilt as he had witnessed what he thought (at the time) were his friends being murdered in front of him. Returning from the TV world had since restored his state of mind, but there were periods of time where he would brood in silence. Now would be one of those times.

Taking the hand on her cheek in both of her smaller ones, Naoto inched closer on her knees, causing Souji to look up at her questioningly. "I would never leave your side. Even when we fought a god, I'm sure you knew that." Smiling affectionately, she pulled him forward into a light embrace, scratching his head lightly as she pressed him into her chest. Souji's own arms rose to wrap around her waist, and his voice trembled as he reverently murmured, "I love you." Naoto's smile grew as she held him against her, massaging his back, whispering words of comfort as she did so. Souji eventually raised his face to gaze at her gratefully before nuzzling against her shoulder. Naoto noted his change in demeanor and likened his attitude to that of a puppy. Sitting up, Souji took her chin in a gentle grip and led her into a mellow kiss, leaning back on the futon to allow the detective to straddle his lap. The two sat for a bit exchanging ardent kisses until the sound of Souji's phone ringing interrupted their tete-a-tete.

_Pi-pi-pi-pi-_

Souji reached over to answer the call, but his hand was stopped by Naoto's, who took the phone to promptly end the call. Setting down the device, she turned her attention back to her lover, who held an amused, smoldering arousal in his gray eyes.

"Trouble can wait for a little while, no?"

Naoto had cast aside her low undertone as she spoke softly, and the sound as of then felt like music to Souji's ears. Sharing euphoric smiles, their lips met again, with their arms wrapped around each other in a light embrace. They broke the gesture, and Souji met Naoto's impassioned gaze as he slowly began lifting her off him, but was stopped by Naoto gently taking his face in her hands and nuzzling against his cheek. She shut her eyes and kissed him again as she weakly reached over to turn Souji's phone to silent, so that the only sounds that were in the air were the soft noises of contentment of one, the low, husky words of another, and the synchronized beeps of a pair of matching watches.

...

Sometime later found the two sitting in the TV room downstairs, watching the morning news over cups of tea. Naoto was sipping at her cup her tea until it occurred to her that Souji's phone was still upstairs, silent as she had left it. "Souji-kun?"

"Good morning…"

"Oh, er…good morning. It slipped my mind but…your phone is still upstairs. I shut the sound off while we…um."

"It's alright. Excuse me. Let me just get it…"

"No, no. You rest, okay? I…you should rest for a little longer, I owe you that much." Placing her cup on the table, she stood up to head to the stairway, letting one hand glide over Souji's shoulders as she went. Souji matched the small smile she shot him over her shoulder as she disappeared into the hall. Exhaling softly, he rested his hands on the table and shifted his gaze from the stairs, to the TV, then finally to the sky blue cup that sat next to his. He grinned a bit as he recalled the day Naoto was welcomed as a member of the family by Nanako.

...

...

...

_"Oh! Hi, Naoto-chan!"_

_"Ah…good evening Nanako-chan. I trust your day was fun?"_

_The detective returned the tight embrace, albeit more gently, as she was greeted by the little girl. Souji's chuckle was muffled by the rim of his cup as he pretended to watch the TV, but found it hard to as Featherman R was playing. Naoto gave a short bow in acknowledgement of the silver-haired teen, which was responded to with a sunny grin and a offer to sit next to him. Taking a seat on a mat adjacent to Souji, she removed her cap and attempted to start some small talk before Nanako found the need to interject. "Senpa-"_

_"Naoto-cha~n! I have a present for you!"_

_"Huh? F-for me? Oh, um…" She turned a bit to whisper a question to Souji, "S-senpai? Is this some holiday I missed again?"_

_"No, it's something special to her. Trust me."_

_"Here! Naoto-chan, this is for you."_

_ Obtained Personal Cup._

_Naoto examined the object that was handed to her, admiring the details etched into it until she noticed something. There was her name written on the lower rim, but upon closer inspection, there was a small carving that looked like the tarot card that she summoned in the TV world often during battles. "Big Bro made it! I didn't know how to, so I asked him for help. He didn't want to buy it, though. Do you like it?"_

_"Wow…yes, Nanako-chan. It's beautiful. Thank you, both of you."_

_Souji smiled lightly as he set his mug down. "I'm glad you like it. Dojima gave me the clear. To little Nanako here, you have a place here, anytime you need a place to stay." He ruffled Nanako's hair as she stood next to him, beaming proudly at her sibling. "I suppose it's easier to say you're family to Nanako." Nanako said her goodbyes as she headed for the door, explaining that she had a friend to meet for the rest of the day._

_Naoto fiddled with her cap as she peeked at the teen next to her. While she enjoyed his company at any time, she was still unused to being alone with him. Not that she would complain. "Senpai?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"You said Nanako-chan considers me part of the family."_

_"Yes, I did."_

_"Do you share that thought?"_

_Souji thought about that for a bit, thinking of the most gentle way to say his thoughts. "Not a part of the family, no."_

_"O-…oh…I apologize, I just…"_

_Souji was alarmed as Naoto looked down sadly, and quickly explained his reasoning. "Wait, wait. I don't think you as part of the family because when the time comes, I want it to be more…special. To both of us. Right now, you're the detective prince, famous for her talent…" He inched closer as he listed off titles for her. "…a member of the Inaba Investigation Team, and…" He took one of her hands with his, and his other rose to brush her hair back. "…the beautiful girl who stole my heart."_

_Naoto gazed up at him, understanding reflected in her eyes, and her hand tightened the grip with his. "Of course, but…I didn't realize that you felt that way."_

_"I know what you mean. I…don't really say it as much as I should, but you know how much you mean to me, right?"_

_"I'm certain that I do, and I hope you know that I feel the same way. With all my heart."_

_Souji smiled kindly at her statement as he planted a small kiss on her nose, sitting back to observe the light blush gracing her cheeks. "I'm honored."_

_..._

_..._

_..._

Souji opened his eyes slowly, and faintly noted that he felt like he was enveloped in a thin warmth. Raising his head from the short table, he shrugged off the blanket draped over him and stretched, annoyed at the dull pain in his neck from the angle he was sleeping in. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty."

"Uncle? Oh, you're back."

"Yeah. Shirogane left about an hour ago, insisted that we should leave you be. Haha, she's fierce when it concerns you. Lucky kid, you are."

"Where's Nanako?"

"Napping in her room. The drive back seemed to drain her. I would be resting up too, but I have a mountain of paperwork to get done by the time the day's over."

"Right. I guess you'll want to go solo on it?"

"Yeah, confidentiality and all that. I miss Adachi. He was a slacker but he was great with everything on paper."

"Yeah...I'll be in my room. I still have some things to unpack."

"Should I bring a cup of coffee?"

"I'll pass, thanks. I had breakfast already."

"Tea isn't breakfast..."

"Yep. See you in a few."

Souji stood, nodding respectfully towards Dojima, and headed up the stairs to his room. Stopping to take a peek into Nanako's room, he smiled at the pile of toy boxes in the corner as well as the small Teddie doll that the little girl was clutching in her sleep. Shutting the door behind him, he continued on to his room and found a seat on his couch. Having decided on what boxes he would unpack and what could wait, he first picked up a small strongbox he had tucked into the corner. Swiftly unlocking the latch, he reached inside and took out a small velvet box.

* * *

**Ultimax is out! Adachi's theme is great. Leave a review if you like, but I apologize as nothing really seemed to happen this chapter.**

**Looks like the end to this story is coming faster than I thought...**


	9. Uniting Tales

**Kept you waiting, huh?**

* * *

_Is this the right time?_

Souji continued to stare at the small box that rested in his palm, musing over his new dilemma. As he thought about the possibilities of how the day could end, he faintly heard a knocking on his bedroom door. "Souji? All good in there? I, uh…brought a cup of coffee. Mind if I come in?"

"…Yeah. It's unlocked." Dojima let himself in, steaming cup of coffee in hand, and a toothpick in his mouth. Nanako had recently decreed smoking was prohibited in the house, and had since tried to keep her father from doing so in general. While Dojima generally complied with this, though there were some instances when he would sneak out of the house, only to return a while later with the smell of smoke on him. (Back to the point…)

It didn't take long for Dojima to notice what was in Souji's hand, taking a seat next to his nephew as he handed over the cup. "Kid…? Is that what I think it is?"

Souji accepted his personal mug with an absent nod of thanks, and took a sip before responding, "Yes…it is."

"And you're sure this is the right time?"

"…I think so. We already almost live together, the last step…is literally in my hands."

"Hm…I know how you feel. Chisato had that same effect on me, all those years ago. If you think it's time, then it's probably ideal. You cleared it with your parents?"

"Yeah. They're all for it, having met her already."

"Ha, alright then. You got a plan for how you're gonna ask?"

"More or less. It's…today's special. This'll make it 3 years since we first started dating."

"Hmm…I'll leave it to you then."

"Huh? I-I thought you were gonna give me some kind of vague advice."

"I would, but there's some times in life when a man has to forge his own paths. Drink the coffee. The Dojima family blend has never failed to draw inspiration out of a person. And…good luck, Souji."

Souji turned his attention back to the little box as he took a seat at his work desk with his coffee in hand. Slowly, he reached out to pick up his phone, numbly finding the first contact in his speed dial: Naoto. Stopping before the actual deed, his thumb hovered between the call button and the end key. He swallowed nervously as he finally pressed down on the former option.

"_Shirogane speaking. Is that you, Souji-kun?"_

"…" Souji found it hard to find his words as he suddenly felt his throat drying up. Eying the cup he had set aside, he quickly took a swig as Naoto started to voice her worry. _"Er…Souji-kun? Are you well?"_

"Ah…yeah! Yes, I'm fine, thank you. I was, uh…wondering if you could take a walk with me later today?"

"_Um…I'm not sure…I have some work piling up, but...is it important?"_

"N-…yes, I think it is. I can tell you if you'd humor me for a few hours.

"_Hmm…okay. You've piqued my interest once again, Souji-kun. Is five in the evening alright for you?"_

"That would be great. Can you meet me near the bookstore when it's time?"

"_Naturally. I'll see you then."_

Souji listened to the distinctive click of the call ending before pocketing his phone and pressing his head to the surface of his desk. Reaching into one of his drawers, he pulled out a small box filled with cards that were made of a material that never failed to instill a sense of nostalgia in him. Reaching for a pen, he began writing…

_Tatsumi Textiles…_

_Yasogami…_

_Near Daidara's…_

_The Shrine…hmm._

_This house…?_

_And…of course._

Souji bit the pen he was holding as he began rummaging through the numerous mementos he had stashed away in the box.

✨ At another location…namely Naoto's apartment.

Naoto was sitting at her own desk, idly scanning through pages of old files she was preparing to store away. As she started to tuck some of the less useful items in assorted cabinets, she accidently knocked her phone of the desk, but failed to stop its descent as it landed. Fortunately, the surface it landed on was soft carpet, but something was jarred from the media port. Naoto muttered in frustration as she picked up the phone, then noticed the small chip that was laying a ways away.

"Hmm? Oh, that's…the…"

A sense of warm nostalgia washed over her as she placed the chip back into where she had left it, and her investigative stare focused on the screen as it read the surge of data. Smiling, she watched the montage that had been put together by Souji once again, reclining in her chair as she did so. As she listened to the casual chats they had shared over dates long past, her mind wandered to another fond memory.

…

"_Senpai! Give me back my cap!"_

"_Eh? But you look so cute without it…"_

"_I-I-! That-…Give it back. Preferably now!"_

_He had then pressed a finger gently to her forehead, while using his other hand to gently catch the smaller one that was reaching for the cap he wore, somewhat askew, atop his own head. Naoto knew better than to struggle against the strength Souji had, so she stood still with a small glare fixed on her face. "Senpai!"_

"_Hold on, hold on. I'll give it back, on one condition."_

"_There's always a catch when it's you, Senpai…alright. What's this 'condition'?"_

_Souji smiled as he held her hand, and Naoto held back her growing blush in an attempt to keep her admonishing gaze in focus, but the look on Souji's face told her that it was a lost cause. As he laced their fingers together, he moved his finger from her forehead to slowly take the cap off. "You have to say my name."_

"_I…Senpai?"_

"_No, that's not it. It's Souji! Souji Seta."_

"_Um…I-…"_

_Naoto was fumbling with her words as her blush intensified, and her eyes turned downward to focus on her shoes. Souji smiled softly as he waited, holding the cap in the range of Naoto's grasp, but the sleuth was focused on shoring up her nerves enough to do a seemingly simple task. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at his face and said…_

"_Sen-oh…Souji. S-Souji Seta."_

_He swiftly placed the cap on the head of the original owner, and a light grin crossed his face as he voiced his approval. "That's perfect. And just as I said I would, there's your cap."_

"_Er…Senpai? You-…You're still holding my hand..."_

_Souji didn't seem to hear her, as his playful grin had mellowed out into a more kindly smile as he absently let go off her hand. "Hmm…you look nice even when your hair isn't showing. Seems you look cute in everything…"_

"_Senpai! D-don't say that out loud…"_

"_It's true, though. Can I see your face?"_

_Naoto was blushing at max power by now, and she was covering her mouth with her hand while her head was bowed to use her cap as a shield. "N-no…not now, I just…I can feel my face heating up."_

_The rest of her body, however, was loath to deny Souji such a basic request and she felt herself inching ever so closer as he gently took her hands in his. The fists that she were maintaining faltered as she slowly looked up to Souji, biting her lip in her mild frustration. "Senpai…I…you're awfully close…"_

"_Huh…if you don't want me to, then you can say so?"_

"_Tch…always teasing me, aren't you, Senpai?"_

'Too cute…'_ Souji finished the thought in his head as their lips met, and Naoto's cap was bumped off her head to land softly on the ground as she took hold of his arms to pull herself a bit closer into the kiss. As Souji ended the gesture, he noted the disappointment that flickered in Naoto's eyes as she met his gaze. "A~nd as I deduced, you were secretly okay with this, no?"_

_Naoto caught herself with her arms still latched onto his and quickly let go, choosing instead to duck down to pick up her cap, swiftly putting it back in its default place. Her head. "I get the notion that you enjoy just…embarrassing me."_

"_I like to think that I'm making memories for the both of us. And…" _

_*click*_

"…_I'm collecting pictures for a little gift."_

"_For who?"_

"_Hm…it's a secret."_

"_W-wait a second…hey! Give me that camera!"_

…

Reaching up to touch the ring necklace, she mused at how she had missed so many clues to what Souji was talking about. She shut the playback off and turned her attention back to putting away the remainder of the old case files that were cluttering her work space.

✨ The Shirogane Estate…

Souji stood outside the imposing outer gates of the large building, and he nervously checked his watch as his gaze focused from the intercom to the time.

_Still a few hours left…if this doesn't go well I'll just be wasting her time today._

His hand rose to hover over the call button, and he swallowed uneasily as he found the will to press said button.

"Er…hello?"

"_This is Yakushiji. Ah…I know that voice. Souji-san. Please, come in. I'll unlock the gate for you."_

Souji heard the gate unlocking as he voiced his thanks, and he was soon on his way through and into the house, where he was greeted once again by Yakushiji. "Welcome, Souji-san. I assume you're ready to talk to the Master?"

"Ahaha…I sure hope so."

"It will be alright. Shirogane-sama isn't one to bully others, especially a man such as you, given all the stories Naoto-sama has shared at the table."

"Hm? She talks about me? There's not much to tell, unless it's about the company we keep."

"Ah…but it seems there is. And from what I've heard, you are every inch the ideal partner for Naoto-sama."

"Thank you, Yakushiji-san. Er…what room should I head for?"

"Follow me, if you please. I'll have tea ready for the two of you in a bit."

Souji was left outside the door to the modestly sized office as Yakushiji excused himself. He adjusted his jacket as he reached towards the doorknob, before hesitating once again. "I can see you well enough through the door, Souji-san. Don't worry, it's not a trap." The soft yet strong tone of the voice shocked Souji, and he felt it wouldn't be prudent if he danced around any longer. Slowly, he let himself into the office, and was greeted by a sight that made him feel severely out of place.

The elder Shirogane was seated in a simple chair, leaning a bit over a sizable desk, very organized and with boxes littered around the room, filled with case files long past. The man himself was clad in a dark business suit, and a small pair of formal spectacles was perched comfortably on his nose. Souji cleared his throat a bit before bowing deeply. "Good to see you're healthy, Shirogane-san."

"Likewise, my boy. But…haven't I told you to call me by my first name? We've talked often enough before that I believe there's no need to be so formal."

"Er…right. I apologize, Minoru-san."

"I suppose that will have to do…hm? You look tense, Souji-san. Are you alright?"

"Ye-…well, in a way, I'm not. Has Yakushiji-san told you why I'm here?"

"Indeed. I hope you know what that means."

"I've gone over it too many times in my head for me to back down now."

Minoru smiled softly at the flash of determination in the boy's eyes, nodding towards a chair near his desk. "Then relax. Take a seat, Yakushiji should be along soon."

Souji took a seat as he registered Yakushiji letting himself into the room. "I've brought tea, Shirogane-sama."

"Thank you, Yakushiji. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to Souji-san alone. It would seem we have an important subject to discuss."

Yakushiji bowed before patting Souji's shoulder respectfully. "Of course, sir. But if I may, I'm sure you know this boy well enough to have a healthy respect for him, just as I do."

Minoru smiled and nodded to Yakushiji as Souji turned to look at the latter in mild confusion. "Hmm. Anyway, help yourself, Souji-san."

Yakushiji excused himself once again as Minoru turned his attention back to Souji. "Well, let's get down to brass tacks. You've been checking your watch, so I assume you're on a timetable."

"Ah…yes. I probably didn't think this through as well as I could have."

"That's alright. Now…" His gaze hardened as he leaned on his desk. "Why do you want to marry my granddaughter?"

Souji choked on his tea due to the direct nature of the question, gratefully accepting a handkerchief from the elder. "I-I'm sorry, I just…ahem."

"No, I should apologize. This seems to be turning into an interrogation, and I've heard enough from Dojima-san that you're uneasy with those. Let's start with that as a basic question."

"Huh…saying 'I love her' wouldn't suffice as an answer without elaboration. Alright."

Souji took a draft of his tea before exhaling and looking up resolutely. "A few years ago is when I met her. During the mystery murder case. As I got to know her, the more I wanted to spend time with her. And when the Phantom Thief his appearance –thank you, by the way- " Minoru smiled as Souji continued. "It gave me the opportunity I was looking for to get closer to her. And after what happened at the shrine that day, everything else became like a dream. Whenever I got to spend time with her, I didn't want to waste a second and when she does the little things that make me appreciate her more, she makes my heart race and-"

Souji caught the sparkle in Minoru's eye as he caught himself rambling, and he felt his face heating up as he looked down into his cup. "A-and I must sound like a complete fool right about now."

That elicited a laugh from Minoru as he shook his head. "Ha, not at all. If anything, it sounds like you're completely infatuated with Naoto."

"I am. And I would be eternally grateful if you would give me your blessing to spend the rest of my life devoting my time to making her happy."

"From what I've observed, you're doing a respectable job of that already. You almost have what you seek, but let me be a tad serious for a minute. Stand tall, my boy."

Minoru stood, taking off his glasses, and walked around his desk to stand in front of Souji. "Is that all? Stand up straight."

"S-sorry, sir."

"Now…for the serious part." Souji swallowed nervously as he nodded. "Do you love my granddaughter?"

"With all my heart."

"Are you willing to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"There's nothing I want more."

"Are you aware of the consequences should you make her sad?"

"It's crystal clear, but not necessary. It will never happen."

"That's a good attitude, but results beat idealism. Now, last question: why do you think you're here?"

"I-…sorry? I was here to get your blessing to marry Naoto."

"Well…" He reached up to clap his shoulder approvingly. "You have what you came for."

"…Wait, what?"

"Haha. In shock? I'm giving you permission to marry my granddaughter."

"B-b-but I thought you were going to do some big test of wills or a duel with nonlethal weapons or-"

He was stopped by Minoru flicking his forehead as he spoke. "It's as Naoto said…you're awfully old-fashioned. I don't plan to duel you now or ever. As I recall, you have a time limit, don't you? You don't want to keep your future waiting. Get going!"

Souji was swiftly shooed out the door as Minoru explained his reasoning. "I'm truly sorry, Souji-san, but I think we both have matters to attend to. I need to sort out this case by tonight. We can have another chat like this later, but hopefully in more relaxed circumstances."

"Thank you, Minoru-san."

"There's nothing to thank me for. Make her happy, Souji-san."

✨ Near the shopping district…

Naoto adjusted her jacket as she made her way towards the bookstore. "Ah! Good evening, Ms. Shirogane! We don't have any new arrivals yet, but feel free to look around."

"Thank you. Actually, I was supposed to meet someone here."

"You mean Seta-san? He left something here for you a while ago. Here!"

The bookstore clerk handed Naoto a tablet, which she recognized to be Souji's own device. The screen flashed to life, and…

"_Hi there, Naoto. Sorry I wasn't here to pick you up, but I see this as an opportunity for a little game. There's some clues on the notepad app, and I'm trusting you to follow them in order. Don't open the next clue until you're done with the one before, okay? I'll see you when you're done. Well…you'll find me. I believe in you. See y then!"_

Naoto had, by that time, strode out of the store after saying goodbye to the clerk, and she had a bemused expression on her face at how silly the situation seemed. _It's like nothing more than a game, but…the last time I followed this kind of case…hmm, I'd better get going._

Naoto checked the notepad and reviewed what signs flashed onto the screen.

_~ Where we first met…seems like a while ago, huh?"_

_~ Where so many called me "Senpai", but it meant the most coming from you._

_~ Where we bought our armaments for a certain expedition._

_~ Where my foolishness led to something more._

_~ Where we found a little sister._

_~ Where you first said "I love you." It doesn't seem so 'embarrassing' anymore, does it?_

As Naoto ventured towards the places she deduced Souji was writing about, she found pictures and mementos that reminded her of days past, the last of which being a copy of the group picture that was taken before Souji left Inaba the year of the case…

✨ The hill…the sun is setting.

Souji was sitting on the fence overlooking Inaba in its entirety as he heard the grass behind him being softly trod underfoot. Closing his eyes as he smiled, he greeted the arrival. "I'm glad you remembered all the places."

"Souji-kun…what is this about? It's very strange…you're not leaving again, are you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Don't be silly. You're leaving all these items behind, and…"

"No need to presume. I'm here to stay. But, there's one thing missing."

"One thing?"

Souji hopped off the fence and invited Naoto to stand next to him. "It's been a while since we've been up here…I missed this view."

"Souji-kun…?"

"I've told you a lot that I wanted to spend as much time with you as I could, but as we get older, things are gonna happen. And while life will give us more obstacles, I've never felt so determined to succeed than when I'm with you."

"W-what's this about? Are you okay?" _What's he going on about…? Is this…another one of his jokes?_

"Not just yet. I might not have been the best boyfriend, and I wasn't able to visit you personally for a long time, but..."

"Souji-kun…I never thought about you that way, but…" Naoto's train of thought was quickly derailed as she watched him getting down on his knee. "…I-…I…" _Wha-…w-w-w-what is he doing…what-_

"I want to be able to devote my time to you, so we can forge our paths together. Naoto Shirogane…will you…"

Naoto started trembling as Souji pulled a small box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal a shining ring that easily caught the last rays of the sun. Unlike the one that hung from her neck, this ring was simple. It was a single band of silver, with an elegant diamond embedded in the middle. The gem was cut to a point where she could wear gloves without being caused any sort of discomfort. The band, however, seemed to be lined with a fine trim of a dark blue metal, but it was subtle, almost invisible to the untrained eye. Souji coughed a bit away from the ring, then continued with a louder tone.

"…marry me?"

Naoto hands slowly rose to cover her mouth as Souji bashfully stared up to her, studying what little parts of her face he could still see from his lowered position. Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes as she fell to her knees, sinking back on her legs as her hands came to rest on the cold grass. This didn't bother her, much to Souji's worry, but he remained silent as the shock was still evident on her face. Naoto finally found the will to speak, but her voice was broken as tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"I was worried that something would get in the way…that you would have to leave Inaba…leave me…again. And n-now that we're here, I don't want it to end. But…" Naoto sniffled as she gazed at the ring, and she reached out to hold the hand that it was resting in. "When I'm with you…" She tried unsuccessfully to dry her tears, stifling a hiccup as her words found a way to force themselves out. "How is it possible that you always find a way to…" She raised her head from its bowed position to stare at Souji through her veil of tears. "How is it you can always do this to me? I-…I love you…I do. So much that it's…terrifying! I-I want to spend more and more of any shred of time that I have with you but-" She reached out to weakly take hold of his jacket sleeve to assure herself that Souji was there…as if he would fade away in the next moment. "But I don't know what to think at the very idea of losing you…"

Souji watched in stunned silence as Naoto took his hands in hers, and her stare bore into him with a devotion that rocked Souji's core with its intensity. "I'll marry you…without a doubt. Just, stay with me…please. Forever…"

Souji gently took her hand to gingerly fit the ring onto her finger, and Naoto choked back a cry of joy as she threw her arms around his neck, weakly shuddering with her elation at the reality that had illuminated her life. Souji returned the embrace, closing his eyes as he stroked her hair and quietly listened to the weak flow of promises that bubbled out of the girl in his arms. What Naoto didn't see was the small smile that emerged, along with the tears that escaped to stream down his cheeks. Leaning back, he held Naoto at arm's length, he reached up to cup her face with his palms, brushing the teardrops from her cheeks with his thumbs. Naoto smiled as he dried her tears, before pulling him closer to lead him into a kiss. She tried desperately to translate her feelings into the gesture, and her passion grew even more as Souji tightened her grip around her waist. The sun slowly descended to make way for the moon, as the two were highlighted by the splendor of its last vestiges of radiance.

* * *

**The En-  
**


End file.
